


For the Family

by LumiOlivier



Series: Switch [2]
Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Found Family, Sequel, WE'RE BACK BABY!, Yakuza, back on the bullshit, mafia, please read this, remember when I said I wanted mafia excitement, that's be cool
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:14:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 137,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24183460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LumiOlivier/pseuds/LumiOlivier
Summary: One year.  That's all it took for Rei's heart to find home in another city.  But it wasn't necessarily the city that captured her heart.  it was the cute yakuza boy that bumped into her in the hallway.  And thought she was a dude.  Anyone else would've been afraid of someone with that kind of power...but not everyone had that same power.  Now that another summer has passed, Rei and Ritsu were ready to go back to Ouran to take on their mutual frenemies:  The Ouran Host Club.
Relationships: Fujioka Haruhi/Suoh Tamaki, Kasanoda Ritsu/Original Character(s)
Series: Switch [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1745392
Comments: 238
Kudos: 10





	1. The Queen Returns

**Author's Note:**

> We're back, baby! I bet you thought I wouldn't post a Switch sequel. Especially not when I finished Switch...Oh...Let's see. Hold on. I need to consult the planner for this one. Please hold...The end of March! But alas, here we are. With another volume in my illustrious Ouran High School Host Club fan fiction. Different series from the Kiss, Kiss series. But that's here nor there. I'm just happy to be back. When I was in the middle of writing this chapter, I had a sudden realization of how much I missed writing these losers. And how much I missed you guys! Tell you what. How about I do what I did with the Number Next Door? If you, my friend, can find my favorite line in this chapter, I'll give you a one-shot. That sounds like fun. A hint, though: Ritsu says is. In the context, it makes me smile so stupidly. Well, Enjoy, friends! You and me. Every Thursday. Ready? Let's get into it.

Oh, summers in the city. How I forgot how wonderful you are. Well, considering how pissed off I was last summer after I found out I was leaving you. I think I’ll be ok this time around. Especially since Daddy was smart and brought us to the summer house in the Hamptons. Ever since I came home, we’ve been here. Every day, the sun shined a little brighter. And laying by the pool made me at least three foundation shades darker. 

That became my daily routine. Wake up, have a little breakfast and an iced latte of my choice, throw on whatever bikini was clean and dry, lay by the pool for a good majority of the day while overdosing on Dr. Pepper. With the exception of the quick trip to mi papi’s patria. This whole summer flew by. And to top it all off, we had a fucking hot pool boy by my side for every second of it. I couldn’t have asked for a better summer. Speaking of that pool boy, he joined me by the pool with a cold drink in his hand. Bless him, “Here, Rei.”

“Thank you,” I couldn’t keep a smile off my face if I wanted to. Definitely not after catching a glimpse of the artwork on his back, “Goddamn…”

“What?”

“Nothing,” I ran my fingers over his wet skin, “Admiring Meditrina in her natural habitat. Holy shit, Ritsu. You have pretty tattoos.”

“Only got the one, baby,” Ritsu pulled me into his lap.

“We could change that,” I teased, “One call to Carlos is all it takes.”

“Let me finish what I got first,” he settled me, “Then, I’ll think about what I’ll get next. Not all of us want to be covered in them.”

“Your loss.” I loved the thought of being covered in art. Let my body be a living museum.

“I’m just fucking with you,” Ritsu wrapped his arms around me, a gentle kiss finding its way to my temple, “You know, we’re going back to Japan soon.”

“I know.” As much as I loved being home, we could stand to go back to Japan.

“New York’s been good to us, Rei,” he ran his fingers over my ribs.

“Of course it has,” I scoffed, feeling a sharp, metaphorical pain in my heart, “Do you expect anything less?”

“Spain was good to us, too,” Ritsu kissed a special little spot on my neck. That same spot that made Spain really special for us. Well…It was the start of something special. The catalyst for something really special.

“We damn near gave Abuelita a heart attack,” I tried to think more on that than the fun stuff. Or that fun stuff would repeat itself right here by the edge of the pool. And Daddy was here. That’s not something he needs to walk out to. Because that would mean Ritsu doesn’t walk out of here at all. If he’s limping, he’s incredibly lucky. If he still has his legs, I’ll be surprised.

“Yeah,” he cuddled me a little tighter. Someone is awfully affectionate today. Not that I’m complaining, “I miss your penthouse, though. It’s about time we go home, yeah?”

“We are home,” I pointed out, “I mean…My home, but still. Home is home.”

“And even better,” Ritsu retaliated, “It’s been a whole summer of just you and me.”

“Yes, it has,” I knew what he was getting at. If we would’ve stayed in Japan (which, there was no fucking way Daddy would’ve allowed that.), both our phones would’ve been blowing up with invitations from the host club left and right. The quiet was nice. Even if it meant us hanging around the Hamptons house. I’m just glad Kyoya didn’t tell me I had to be there for some sort of hosting retreat. If it were just the host club and us hanging out, that’d be fine. But if it meant honing more of my alleged natural hosting talent to sink lower than the chameleon type, then I’d rather throw my head into a fucking wall. No, thank you, “And it has been absolutely perfect. We should do this again sometime.”

“Hell yeah,” he wasn’t going to turn me down. Not with this cute face and incredible ass, “I’d be happy to. What were you thinking for next year?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged, “Maybe somewhere else. I know if I don’t see Abuelita next summer, she’ll fucking end me. And you’ve never had to deal with Abuelita disappointment. Shit cuts deep. If there’s any way I can spare you from that heartache, I will.”

“Thanks, Rei,” Ritsu giggled a bit. He should know better, though. He’s met Abuelita. Her wrath is like nothing else.

“So,” I shook it off, laying my head in Ritsu’s bare chest, “What do we do now?”

“I don’t know about you,” he admitted, “But I could stand to do a whole lot more of this.”

“It’d be my pleasure.” If I wasn’t careful, Ritsu was going to have a hell of a tan line in the shape of my body. I could nap here with no problems whatsoever.

“Reila!” But that wasn’t going to happen. Because Daddy won’t allow it. It’s not like he didn’t trust me or Ritsu, for that matter. He knew that if we were going to have the same kind of fun we had in Barcelona, we’d be safe about it. And if Ritsu ever went somewhere he wasn’t supposed to, Daddy trusted that I knew exactly what to do. It kept Ritsu’s ass in line. 

“Yeah, Daddy?” I yelled back, “What do you want?”

“You’re needed, princess,” Daddy came outside and stood over Ritsu’s and my chair, “Do I have to peel you off him or are you good?”

“We’re fine,” I rolled my eyes. It’s a good thing Daddy loved Ritsu like he did, “What happened?”

“Someone tried starting a fight with the family,” he reported, taking the empty seat next to us, “I’m guessing it was some small time hood thinking he had the big dick in the locker room. Or he was trying to prove himself to someone else wanting to take a piece of our pie. Rumor has it, he came from the Bronx.”

“Is that bad?” Ritsu wondered.

“We’re not exactly on the best of terms with a couple families in the Bronx,” I filled him in, “I wouldn’t say it gets messy, but it can. So, is he waiting in the narrows or is someone getting him as we speak?”

“He’s waiting,” Daddy assured, “I just got the call a little while ago.”

“Do I have to?” I groaned, “Can’t I just outsource this beating? It’s my last few days of summer vacation and I’d rather not lift a finger today for some small time piece of shit thinking he’s something.”

“You feel ok, Rei?” Ritsu lifted my chin up, “You get too much sun lately?”

“I’m fine,” I promised, “Why?”

“Because,” Daddy picked up on it, too, “You never turn down the chance to kick the shit out of someone when I ask you. Usually, you’re ready for your coach to put you in.”

“I know,” I whined, “But I just don’t have it in me today. I kind of felt like doing some more of this, then moving inside when the sun went down to watch cartoons, and then, think about going out tonight.”

“I know what the problem is,” Daddy figured, shooting a look at Ritsu, “The boy made you go soft, Reila. You were one of the hardest people I had ever had the honor and privilege of knowing. Then, this little shit wandered his way into your life.”

“He bumped into me, Daddy.”

“Excuse me?” Ritsu jumped on the defensive, “What the hell, Frankie?”

“Daddy…” I scolded him, “Play nice.”

“I know,” Daddy giggled to himself, “I shouldn’t rile the kid up, but it’s too much fun.”

“Great,” Ritsu relaxed a little, “There’s two of you.”

“We are a package deal, baby,” I gave him a pat on the shoulder, “And sometimes, we share a pack mind. We do make a hell of a team, though, Daddy.”

“Damn right, we do, baby girl,” Daddy and I shared in a wonderful high five at my boyfriend’s expense, “So? Does this mean you’re going to go take care of the asshole in the narrows for me?”

“Fine,” I grumbled, “I’ll do it. Is my bat at home or is she waiting for me?”

“She’s still in the case at home,” he got up from his chair, offering me his hand, “Come on. We need to get going. It’s a couple hours to get there. You can rest up on the way.”

“Ok,” I stumbled a couple steps before regaining my footing. Goodbye, house in the Hamptons. You will be missed. But right now, I had some skulls to go crack and assorted other cliché bullshit that came along with being a mafia baby like myself. 

As much as I was going to miss it in the Hamptons and as much as I didn’t feel like kicking the shit out of this guy, I couldn’t wait to get back to the narrows. My home sweet home. Where I could walk into any business down there and get whatever I wanted for free. Why? Because it was my territory. The owners didn’t pay their protection to Daddy. Oh, no. They paid their protection to me. The Queen of Diamonds deserved to be dripping, too, didn’t she? 

When we got to the warehouse, I was helped out of the car by my favorite lackey. Well…I don’t think I could call Ritsu my lackey. That’d be insulting his position. He liked to call himself my knight. In a way, he was. And I loved him for it, “Got your bat?”

“I sure do,” I pulled my Burmese blackwood beauty out of her case. And she still smelled like polish. With as much blood as this baby has had on her, I’m surprised it wasn’t smelling more like iron. Nope. Lemon, “Care to join me?”

“Really?” Ritsu gasped, “You want me to lend a hand?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time.”

“True.”

There were few people in this world that I wanted to fight by my side. Ritsu happened to be one of them. Daddy rolled down his window, “You kids go have fun. Don’t get too banged up. I’ll take a ride around the block. Be done by then.”

“We will.” Daddy insulted me. I could have this guy worked over by the time he hit the light. 

“So?” Ritsu wondered, following me toward the warehouse, “What routine are we going with this time?”

“I was thinking…” I mulled it over for a second, “You go in, scare the shit out of him. He’ll be expecting something like that. But then, I’m going to come in and save him.”

“Only you’re not going to save him, are you, Rei?”

“Of course not,” I scoffed, “He was bold enough to come fuck with us. In a way, I have to respect that. But it was a stupid move.”

“So,” he figured, “Give him a little bit of hope and take it away in one fell swoop?”

“That’s the plan.”

“You, my dear Reila,” Ritsu put his arm around me, “are one of the most sadistic people I have ever met in my life.”

“And?”

“And I love you so much,” he gave me a little kiss, “I’ll go set the stage. Come in any time you want.”

“Will do,” I sent Ritsu off and stood in the hall, waiting for my signal. Wait a second…Son of a bitch took my bat.

“Who are you?” the guy took immediate notice of the even bigger guy coming toward him.

“That’s none of your fucking business,” Ritsu twirled my bat around. Alright. He can play with it, too. But he really should’ve asked me first. Although, I will admit…Seeing him work my bat was kind of hot. He needed to stop doing that before I break into a cold sweat. We still needed to be relatively professional here. The Mendoza family had a reputation to uphold here. Ritsu lifted his chin up with the end of my bat, “What’d you do?”

“Look, man,” the guy freaked, “I don’t know who you think you are, but I know damn well you didn’t come from the Mendoza family.”

“If you ask Francisco,” Ritsu had that damn smirk on his face. The one that did things to me and he fucking knew that did things to me, “I am part of the Mendoza family.”

“There’s no fucking way.” Daddy was right. This guy did think he had the big dick in the locker room. Little did he know, I was about to flop mine on the table. And cause an earthquake in comparison, “You’re not a Mendoza.”

“You’re right,” Ritsu put my bat down and gave him a heavy handed punch to the jaw. Now, I understand why he thought it was hot when I did it. Look at my baby go. He really shouldn’t have hurt himself on someone so insignificant. But I understand, “Mafia…Yakuza…Same difference.”

“So, what are you going to do to me?” the guy spat a mouthful of blood on the floor.

“I’m not going to do anything else to you,” Ritsu picked my bat back up and rested it on his shoulder, setting my fucking hormones on fire. Get your shit together, Reila. Remember? Professional. Family reputation and all that, “But she is.”

I thought I was going to come in and “save” the guy, but it looks like we’ve called an audible. That’s cool. I walked out, ready to do what we came here to do with a big ass sadistic smile on my face. And I watched as the color drained from this guy’s face, “No…Please…No…”

“Do you know who I am?” I asked, sitting in front of this asshole. I feel like this isn’t the first time I’ve fucked this guy up. Maybe I really should start handing out punch cards. With the tenth beating, I’ll spare them. But where’s the fun in that? 

“You’re her…” his breathing quickened and his pupils covered most of his irises. Such a shame. Those pretty blue eyes were going to be black in a second, “The Queen of Diamonds.”

“If you know who I am…Ritsu, my bat please.”

“Here, Rei,” Ritsu surrendered my weapon of choice.

“Thank you,” I graciously accepted, “If you know who I am, then you really should know better than to fuck with us.”

“Please, Your Highness,” he begged, jostling around in his chair, “Don’t do this. I swear, I’ll never come near your family again. I promise! Please don’t!”

“My god,” I gagged, “At least have a little dignity. And a little more respect.”

SWING!

The end of my bat collided with his shoulder, effectively knocking him over. His tears fell to the floor, “What do you mean, respect?”

“When you address royalty,” I gave him a swift kick to the ribs, “Your Highness is meant for a princess. Your Majesty is much more appropriate for a queen.”

“Fine, fine!” he wept, “Your Majesty! Please! No more!”

“I don’t think so,” I grabbed a handful of his hair, yanking his neck back, “Because you don’t get to say when in this situation. I do. We don’t play with a safe word here.”

“What about the other guy?” he pleaded, “Come on, man. We can call this water under the bridge. Get me out of this!”

“No,” Ritsu shot him down, nursing his bleeding hand, “Your fucking teeth caught my knuckles. Damn…Rei, do you have any bandages around here?”

“There’s a roll of ace bandage and medical pads in the office,” I directed him.

“Thanks, baby,” Ritsu started heading for the office.

“No problem!” I smiled, turning my attention back to the task at hand. And Daddy says Ritsu’s a distraction, “Now…Back to you.”

“I swear…” This guy didn’t know when to stop, “Your Majesty, I’ll never come back here again.”

“I want to trust you, my guy,” I played nice for a minute. Just enough for him to catch his breath, “But Daddy didn’t raise an idiot. Not to mention, you scraped up my boyfriend’s knuckles. That wasn’t a good move on your part.”

“He’s the one who punched me!”

“You were the one that said he wasn’t part of the family,” I retaliated. With a good stomp to one of his knees. If I said it once, I’ve said it a million times. If whoever walks into the warehouse doesn’t walk out with a limp, I didn’t do a good enough job. His screams would put me to sleep tonight, “But whoever sent you doesn’t care about you. Especially if they knew you’d be coming to me. Now, if you promise me you’ll behave yourself from now on, we won’t have to do this again.”

“I promise!” Aww…They’re so cute when they’re so predictable.

“Good,” I helped him back to his feet, “Then, we’re done here.”

“Really?” Tears flowed like rivers from this guy’s eyes, “Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you so much…”

“Hold on,” I stopped him, “There is one thing I’m missing…”

“What?”

SWING!

I got him again. This time, my bat knocked him over. And it might have left him with a nice bump on the head. I didn’t hit him hard enough to crack his head open, but it was just enough to knock his ass out. Of course I wasn’t going to play nice with him. He should’ve known better. They never do. And that’s why I’m still in business.

“Hey, Rei,” Ritsu came back out, “I couldn’t find the bandages, so I just got some…What the fuck happened here?”

“You missed a hell of a show,” I chuckled a bit, “It was definitely a sight.”

“Is he still breathing?” he wondered, looking the guy over.

“Yeah,” I nodded, “I mean, he’s going to have one nasty concussion, but other than that, he’ll make it. We’ll have our guys come clean this up. For now, though, I’m fucking exhausted.”

“You want some coffee?” Ritsu offered.

“I think I might need more than coffee,” I sighed out, “I need a Rosco.”

“What’s a Rosco?” he asked as I brought him into the office. I know we have ace bandages in here somewhere. Ritsu just didn’t look hard enough.

“Rosco’s not a what,” I found them in the bottom drawer of the big, metal desk and took his hand, carefully cleaning and wrapping up his knuckles. Goddamn, Ritsu. Asshole got you good, “Rosco’s a who. He’s my massage therapist. And I wouldn’t mind an hour on his table.”

“He’s your massage therapist?” Ritsu got a little defensive. He trusted me, but his knee jerk reactions worried me.

“Yes,” I settled him, “He’s been my massage therapist for years. Rosco’s a good dude. I’m going to be gone for a couple hours, so I can spoil myself. Is that ok with you?”

“Fine by me,” he allowed, “Who am I to stop you?”

“Thank you,” I finished wrapping his hand and kissed his knuckles, “When I’m done, how about we meet up for dinner, just the two of us?”

“Sure.” There you are, Ritsu. Nothing warmed my heart more than when that boy smiled, “Do we do dinner downtown or in the narrows?”

“Surprise me,” I followed him out of the warehouse where our ride was waiting.

“So?” Daddy asked from the window, “How’d it go?”

“Ritsu’s got a nasty scrape on his hand from punching the guy,” I reported, “But other than that, just another day at the office.”

“You don’t need stitches, do you, Ritsu?” Daddy worried.

“Nah,” Ritsu flexed his fingers, “Rei took care of it. I think I’ll live to see another day.”

“Good to hear.”

“Hey, Daddy,” I chimed in, “I’m going to go pay Rosco a visit. Is that ok?”

“Go ahead, sweetheart,” Daddy took his black card out of his wallet, “Tell him I said hi.”

“I will,” I gladly took the black card and shoved it in my back pocket. Then, I gave Ritsu my bat, “Guard her with your life.”

“I will,” Ritsu promised, sticking his head out the window. I gave him one last kiss, “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

“Eww…” Daddy teased, “I’d tell you two to get a room, but…”

“Thank you, Daddy,” I held my face in my hand, “Very mature.”

“What’s the point of having kids if you can’t occasionally fuck with them?” he gave me a little pop to the shoulder, “Go, Reila. Go see Rosco. You earned it. I’ll call your uncles to take care of the asshole likely knocked out in there.”

“Ok,” I held back a smile, “You two play nice while I’m gone. I kicked the shit out of one guy today. I don’t need to pick another fight.”

“That’s my girl,” Daddy melted inside, “Alright, Rei. We’ll play nice.”

I watched the limo drive off and I flagged down a cab. Goddamn, it’s good to be home. It’s a shame I’ll be leaving soon. I’m going to miss you, New York. And I know damn well when I go to see Rosco, it’ll be even harder to say goodbye. But I know where I’m going to be going back to. My other home. My home away from home. Maybe I need to find a Rosco there. But first, I needed to see the original recipe.


	2. Treat Yourself Day

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends. There's a reason why this is out so late. I woke up plagued with a migraine this morning! Lucky me. It had been a while since (I'm about to get slightly graphic here, so if you're squeamish, look away) I had one that involved me throwing up and had me down for so long. It knocked me on my ass, but after sleep, painkillers, and now, some lunch, I think I'll manage. Bending over still hurts, but for the most part, I'm considerably better. Now, if you'd care to, go ahead and read this week's chapter. It's cute as hell, if I do say so myself.

As much as I loved hanging around Ritsu in the greatest city in the world, I needed some time to reconnect. And one of those silly little ways I did that happened to be in one of my favorite places. Granted, Williamsburg didn’t have its shortage of cute cafés and shenanigans in the Narrows I can always get into, but even I needed to shut off once in a while. And I found my solace in a beautiful, white building that’s been seeing me since Mama was still alive.

It’s too bad I didn’t have one of these in Japan yet. I really needed to get one, but let’s be honest. Who would take me? I had a couple tattoos that were very visible, particularly the one on my back. The one on my thumb was easily covered, if it really bothered them that much. Covering Mars would be a little more difficult. A lot of places in Tokyo had a problem with that. Some of the hot springs we were going to go to in Hakone had policies about that, too. Thank God for American soil sometimes.

All I knew was that I needed to see Rosco. And I missed him terribly. When I walked into the best spa New York had to offer, I walked right up to the front counter, my sunglasses on my head, “Hello?”

“Hello!” a sweet faced woman came to the front desk, “Can I help you?”

“I need to see Rosco,” I told her, “He is in today, isn’t he?”

“He is,” she nodded, “Do you have an appointment?”

“Nope.”

“I’m sorry,” the woman shot me down, “But Rosco’s booked for the rest of the afternoon.”

“He’ll move appointments for me,” I assured, suppressing any anger that may want to come out.

“That’s awfully presumptuous of you.” She didn’t just…No. Someone’s not a local. 

“No,” I stood my ground, a little smirk creeping across my face. God, I love my last name sometimes, “My name is Reila Mendoza. Trust me. Rosco will make time for me.”

Her fake tan drained to her feet, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Thank you,” I beamed, watching her scurry off like cockroaches at a camera flash. I fucking love when the family name gets me a free pass into anywhere I want. It makes everywhere I go in this town like Disneyland. If she knows what’s good for her, she won’t keep me waiting long. After playing in the Narrows, I’m exhausted and a little time with Rosco will do me wonders.

“What?!” a familiar voice squealed from the back. Along with the pitter patter of designer shoes echoing down the hall, “Reila!”

“Rosco!” I ran and jumped into my massage therapist’s arms. There were a lot of things I loved about this town. And there were few I loved more than this man. 

“I missed you so much!” Rosco squeezed me tight. And with the pipes on that son of a bitch, he could snap me in half.

“I missed you, too,” I awed, “You got time for little, old me, right?”

“Always!” he promised, taking my hand, “Sorry…New receptionist.”

“It shows,” I cringed, following him back to his office. 

“So,” Rosco wondered, “What are we doing?”

“Well,” I explained, grabbing my robe off the rack. And yes. I do have one that is _just_ for me. Again, perk of the family. But I digress, “I just got back from a trip to the Narrows, so do what you will with that information.”

“Did someone’s crown have to come into play?” Of course he knows. What else would we talk about while I’m getting worked on if not the family business? Our tastes in TV are too different.

“Maybe…”

“Say no more,” Rosco got it. He knew exactly what I did and he knew how to cure my little ailments, “Now, you know the drill, sweetheart. Knock on the door when you’re ready.”

“Will do,” I threw my clothes in the corner and wrapped myself my big, fluffy, black robe. I really needed to find somewhere in Tokyo that would take me. The top of my robe fell and I knocked on the door. Before Rosco could come in, I laid on the table.

“Holy shit, kid,” his eyes damn near fell out of his skull, “When the fuck did you get that?”

“Get what?” I played dumb, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

“The dragon on your back,” Rosco gasped, tracing his finger over Mars, “It’s beautiful.”

“I got that…” I thought back for a minute or two, “On my birthday? I think? Yeah! My birthday this past year. It was my present to myself. You can thank Carlos at Tintero for that.”

“What made you start getting tattoos, Rei?” he got to work, kneading the heels of his hands into my shoulder blades. Oh my fucking god…I really need to find a Rosco in Japan. With every pass, I could feel it in my feet. This is downright fucking magical. 

“It’s a long story,” I began.

“We got a whole hour of just you and me,” Rosco pointed out, “Besides, I have a bone to pick with you, young lady.”

“The fuck did I do?” I squeaked.

“I missed you, Rei,” he whined, “I was starting to think you full on left me.”

“Well,” I admitted, “I kind of did. I’ve been living in Japan for the last year. With the exception of this summer. I can’t not spend the summer in the city.”

“You?” Rosco jabbed, “Of all people, _you_ left New York?”

“Yeah,” I went on, “Some shit was going down in the underground and Daddy wanted me out of the crossfire. Which was understandable. So, what did he do? Shipped my ass to a private school in Tokyo. Not that I’m complaining. I got my first tattoo there.”

“And I’m guessing Daddy doesn’t know about your tattoos,” he figured.

“On the contrary,” I corrected him, “He does know. He found out when I put a bikini on at the house in the Hamptons. He saw my back tattoo and freaked. At first anyway. But he also said that at the end of the day, it was my body and there was nothing he could do.”

“Aww,” Rosco melted, “So, Frankie’s a big softie on the inside?”

“Only for me,” I clarified, “And for Mama, but that’s a different story for a different day. Once I showed him my boyfriend’s tattoo, he understood mine a little more. But he’s only got the one.”

“Your what now?” he stopped in the middle of my spine. I don’t remember telling him he could stop.

“My boyfriend,” I reiterated, “Yes. I have one of those.”

“I have a hard time believing Frankie’s cool with that,” Rosco went on, “Aren’t you Daddy’s little girl?”

“Damn right, I am,” I nodded, “But Daddy fucking _adores_ him. Daddy loves him so much that when I brought him with me around my birthday last year, he offered him a spot in the family.”

“Daddy _does_ love him,” he kept working every kink out of my muscles, moving lower, “And does the boyfriend know you’re a mafia baby?”

“He has no room to judge.” And as much as Ritsu hates it, I kind of love what he comes from, “I met my boyfriend in Japan. We talked for a little while and when we were having ramen one night, he told me where I was a mafia baby, he’s pegged to head a major yakuza syndicate when the current family head steps down. He understands where I’m coming from.”

“So, he’s a mafia baby, too,” Rosco pieced it together, “You are definitely Vanessa’s daughter, aren’t you?”

“It’s funny,” I giggled a bit, “Because Daddy said the same thing. He told me I followed in Mama’s footsteps. But honestly, I didn’t intend to follow in those particular footsteps. I didn’t even know Ritsu was yakuza when we first met. I just thought, holy shit, that one’s cute. And here we are, damn near a year later. I absolutely love him, Rosco. He’s got my back and I got his. And that’s all I could ever ask him for.”

“Color me intrigued,” he pushed down on a spot in my spine, letting out the most satisfying pop. I thought I was going to go through the fucking ceiling. I really needed to find a Rosco in Japan. Or convince Rosco to move to Japan with me. The first one seemed more plausible, “I think I might need to meet this young dandy.”

“I don’t know, Rosco,” I settled him, “Don’t get me wrong. I love Ritsu dearly, but his chronic RBF can be kind of off putting to some people. It scared the shit out of Abuelita when she met him.”

“ _And_ he’s met Abuelita?” Rosco could hardly contain himself, “Shit really must be getting serious with you two. When should I expect the wedding invitations?”

“Jesus Christ, Rosco,” I laughed it off, “I’m not getting married any time soon. That would’ve just given Ritsu a heart attack. Besides, that would involve him asking Daddy about that and I don’t think Ritsu’s got that in him just yet. I mean, I’m glad they’re buddies, but that might be a nail in the coffin.”

“So, you still are Daddy’s little girl,” he teased, “Always trying to protect her virtue.”

“There’s nothing there to protect anymore,” I hid a smile in the face cradle, “That waved bye-bye when we were in Spain this summer. Something about those Spanish nights bring out naughty things in us. Kind of like the elevator in my building in Japan.”

“Reila…” Rosco clutched his chest, “That’s it. Next time you come in here, if you don’t bring your boyfriend with you, I will cry ugly tears.”

“You’re not going to cry,” I rolled my eyes, “I’m sure you’ll barely be pissed and move on quickly. But there’s no way I could get Ritsu in here. It’s not his thing.”

“You could always try asking.”

“Trust me,” I chuckled to myself, “There’s no fucking way Ritsu would go for it. I could beg him until I’m blue in the face. I doubt he’d say yes.”

“Fine,” Rosco dropped it, “Are you doing a mani-pedi, too, Rei?”

“Yes, please.” I’ve needed one since we landed back here from the Spain trip. I needed my toes popped (which, Rosco knew what he was doing) and my nails were an absolute travesty. The chipped white paint did not suit me. 

“Good,” he offered me his hand, “Because your time in here is up.”

“And it’s a damn shame,” I sighed out, sliding my arms back through my robe sleeves, “Do you freelance, Rosco? Because I got a job you could do, but it’s a hell of a commute.”

“I’m not moving to Japan any time soon,” Rosco saw right through me and brought me into a chair, “You do know I’m not a nail tech, right?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “But see…You think I trust anyone else touching me in this building?”

“What color?” That’s what I thought, “No, don’t tell me. Let me guess. Gold on your fingers, black on your toes?”

“Black on my fingers,” I corrected him, “Purple on my toes.”

“Fine by me,” Rosco spun the rack of nail polish around, looking for colors for me. However, a soft little chime came from my robe pocket, “And who would that be?”

I melted at the picture on my screen. A shot that I happened to get when we were in Spain. Ritsu and I happened to get a minute or two away from la familia and indulged ourselves in a drink and a Spanish sunset. His lips were on my cheek with zero clue I had a camera on him. Might as well answer, “Hey, baby.”

“Hey,” Ritsu’s voice warmed me inside, “Are you done yet?”

“Tail end,” I reported, “Why?”

“Because,” he told me, “I’m on my way to pick you up. I just got on the subway.”

“Be careful,” I warned him, “I am not going back to Hoboken for you.”

“That was one time,” Ritsu hushed me, “I got it figured out now. I’m not going to New Jersey today. But I’ll be there as soon as I can, K?”

“Ok.” Did I ever mention how much I love him? Because I do. So very much, “I’ll be waiting.”

“Ok,” he chirped, “See you soon.”

“Aishiteru, Ritsu.”

“Te amo, princesa.”

Click.

I think I’m going to keep him. If he’s not careful, I may end up proving Rosco right. I slid down in my chair, trying to not swoon something fierce. Hide it, Rei, “Ritsu’s on his way.”

“So, I do get to meet him?” Rosco’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah,” I let that one go, “He’s going to pick me up and we’re getting dinner somewhere in town. I miss him.”

“Is he cuter than me?” he wondered.

“Oh, totally,” I nodded, damn near giving myself whiplash. God knows I had enough selfies of the two of us on my phone. And a few that Tamaki was good enough to send me from a few incidents at the host club. But that was here nor there. But I pulled one up that wasn’t just a selfie and wasn’t anything from the host club. It was the two of us in bed one morning. I figured I’d stir some shit up with the host club (particularly Tamaki. He had been laying on his daddy thing too thick and…well…Daddy’s alleged little girl wanted to piss him off. What better way than showing him that she has a boy in her bed?). When I told Ritsu about it, he had the same sadistic smile on his face I did. And I loved it, “That’s mine. And I love you, Rosco, but I love him a whole hell of a lot more. And he is, in fact, cuter than you.”

“I thought you said he has raging RBF,” Rosco took my phone, “He seems pretty content here.”

“That’s because he was being a little shit with me,” I remembered. It’d be my lock screen if Daddy wasn’t always around. He didn’t need to see that, “Trust me. You’ll see. Once you meet him, you’ll see it.”

“If you say so,” he gave my phone back and continued painting my toes, “The guy in that picture looks like he’d walk an old lady across the street to the burning building he rescues the kitten from.”

“Wow,” I giggled like an idiot, “I’ve never heard him so…misdescribed.”

“By the way,” Rosco asked, “What did you tell him before you got off the phone with him?”

“Aishiteru,” I repeated, “It means I love you in Japanese. I don’t know when it started, but whenever we get off the phone with each other, we say I love you in each other’s native tongue. His Spanish has come a long way. At first, it was the weirdest thing to hear him speak Spanish with his accent, but he’s worked on it. He’s almost up to my level.”

“Isn’t Frankie ESL?” he wondered.

“Yep,” I chirped, “Daddy spoke Spanish before he ever spoke English. He still does when Abuelita’s in town. They have full conversations before I even figure out what they’re saying. But I’m not ESL.”

“That was your mom’s influence on you,” Rosco assumed, “Yeah? Your mom was born and raised in the city, right?”

“Right in the heart of Manhattan,” I confirmed, watching my fingers go from a sad, chipped white mess to a shiny, beautiful black. Granted, Rosco was no nail tech, but he had a steady hand and that’s all I needed. It’s not like I ever got anything overly elaborate.

He got to my thumb on my right hand and smiled, “Well, well…Looks like Her Royal Highness is permanently branded now.”

“That was my first tattoo,” I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking back to that night. That wonderful night, “The guy that did that one was the same guy that did Ritsu’s back tattoo, if you get to see it.”

“Well, Rei,” Rosco screwed the lid back on the nail polish bottle, “You’re all done. Give them a second to dry.”

“I will,” I promised, “You know, Rosco, one day, we should do this together. Just you and me.”

“That would mean me jumping ship,” he pointed out, taking the empty seat next to me, “And you cheating on me. And you’d never do that. Nor would I be a traitor like that. I appreciate the invitation, though.”

CRASH!

“Oh, shit…” I held my face in my hands, hoping to all things holy I didn’t know what…or who caused that.

“What was that?” Rosco’s ear perked up.

“I don’t know,” I got up from my chair and went back to change, “Are you going to want some backup, Rosco?”

“It’d be nice to have someone like you on my side, Rei,” he approved, “You can still beat the shit out of someone without batting an eye, right?”

“Do you know what my last name is?”

“That’s right,” Rosco winced, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to doubt you.”

“Good,” I walked out and gave him a little pat on the cheek, “You shouldn’t.”

“Backup?”

“Yes.” Please don’t belong to me…


	3. Why I Can't Have Nice Things

Oh, I am not allowed to have nice things, am I? One thing. I asked for _one_ thing when I left the Narrows. To be able to come see Rosco to recharge my batteries before Ritsu and I headed off for dinner. And I almost got exactly what I wanted. However, in that one humble request, I did not say to take care of whatever the hell kind of mess was going on at the front desk. Even more so, I did not ask to have to clean up after my lovable, yet idiot boyfriend. Would I say he went as far as pulling a Tony? No. But context would be the judge of that.

“Is everything ok here?” Rosco asked, surveying the damage. Just a few things tipped over. Nothing too major.

“Thank God, you’re here, Rosco,” the woman from the front desk let out a sigh of relief. Along with a couple others that stood with her.

“Ritsu!” I beamed, happy as hell to see him. Without another thought, I ran to him, leaping into his arms.

“Thank God, a voice of reason,” Ritsu held me tight.

“Are you ok?” I wondered, checking him over, “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“I’d rather see a ghost than what actually happened.”

“What happened?” I held his face in my hands, trying my best to get him to calm down.

“Bad flashbacks,” Ritsu cringed, “Really bad flashbacks. These bitches over here started it.”

“Hey!” I hushed him. Of all the thing I hated with a burning passion, it’s a man thinking it’s ok to casually call a woman a bitch. Drives Daddy nuts, too. Ritsu had special permission from yours truly to call me bitch, mostly because I call myself that. Anyone else? Off the table.

“Sorry, Rei,” he immediately bit his tongue, realizing the error of his ways.

“What did they start?” I brought things back.

“That one!” Ritsu pointed toward a leggy blonde, “That one wanted to play with my face.”

“Uh…Ok?” I gave him a look, not quite sure I followed.

“For someone who never takes care of it,” Legs for days chimed in, “You have some of the most perfect skin. Sue me for wanting to keep it that way.”

“Ok,” I started to see what was going on. I’ve been in here enough to know that some of the staff could be harpies.

“And that one,” Ritsu pointed to another lady that hurt him. This one a stocky brunette with a nose ring. Guaranteed she’s here wanting to make it on Broadway. Live your dreams, honey, “She wanted to play with my hair.”

“You are like petting a puppy, baby,” I admitted, “I can’t blame her.”

“But _that one,_ ” he glared at a dark eyed beauty with a shit eating grin on her face, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think she was trying to grab at my ass. Coming in here was like the fucking host club on steroids. I panicked.”

“Excuse me?” I unlatched myself from around Ritsu’s neck and got in Dark Eyes’ face, “You what?”

“That t-shirt’s awfully tight,” she pointed out, “And he seemed a bit tense. Forgive me for wanting to ease some of that. You better keep a close eye on that one, honey. If he’s not careful, a modeling agency’s going to snap him up in a heartbeat.”

“I do,” I rivaled her smirk, resisting the urge to shove my fist down her throat, “Keep your hands off my man and we won’t have a problem.”

“I’m sorry for trying to do my job,” she backed off, “Is that so terrible?”

“It is when he doesn’t ask for it,” I clarified, “He came in here to get me, not for some complete stranger to start feeling him up. Got it?”

“It’s cute when they come in with a big bark and no bite,” she awed. A shit talker, huh?

“What was that?” my blood boiled. I just got my nails done. I do NOT need to fuck them up because of her.

“Uh…” Rosco leaned over to the cocky bitch, whispering a few words of warning into her ear.

“Pray I never see your ass in the Narrows, sweetie,” I threatened, keeping a smile on my face, “Because it will not be pretty for you. Keep your hands off my man.”

“Yes, Miss Mendoza,” she bowed to me. Damn right, bitch. I ought to make you lick my fucking boots for that shit. But I’m in sandals today. You’re lucky. Another time, “I’m terribly sorry.”

“Hey,” I went back to what really mattered, “Are you ok, Ritsu?”

“I will be,” Ritsu nodded, “We should be going anyway. I got us a reservation for seven and it’s getting down to crunch time.”

“Ok,” I slipped my hand in his, “Sorry about the mess, Rosco. He’s an excitable one.”

“I should be the one apologizing,” Rosco winced, looking over at Ritsu. A gentle smile settled on his face, “You were right, Rei.”

“Hell yeah, I was,” I rested my head on Ritsu’s shoulder, “I’ll see you later, Rosco.”

“Hey,” he stopped us, “Let me make this up to you.”

I thought it over for a minute or two, “We’ll see. Maybe next time we’re in town. We’re leaving tomorrow morning.”

“Fine,” Rosco nodded, “But this doesn’t have to leave this room, right?”

“It won’t,” I promised. Or in easier to understand terms, don’t tell Daddy about this incident. 

Ritsu and I left Rosco to clean up the mess one of his masseuses created and headed to wherever Ritsu had planned on us engorging ourselves. Although, on the walk there, he kept quiet. I couldn’t help but worry about him a little. I didn’t think he would’ve been that shaken up by host club flashbacks. And it only got worse when we sat down. The restaurant wasn’t overly nice, but it wasn’t squalor either (and it happened to be…Let’s just say it was in _our_ network. Whether or not Ritsu knew that was still totally up in the air, but it wouldn’t surprise me if he asked Daddy for a recommendation). Alright. I need to put an end to this.

“Ritsu?” I nudged him under the table, “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah,” Ritsu snapped back into his head, “Yeah, I’m good. I just got weird for a sec. I’m over it for the most part. I don’t get it, Rei. How do you do that shit?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged, “I just…do. Mama and I used to go together, but after she died, I wasn’t just going to walk away from it. Everything felt too good to quit. It really is nice.”

“Hard pass,” he shot me down, “You couldn’t pay me to step foot in a day spa again.”

“Would you ever go with me?” I asked, “I’ll admit, it’s a lot easier going in with someone if you’ve never done it before.”

“No,” Ritsu shook his head, “I love you, Rei. I really do. I don’t think it’ll ever be something for me.”

“Even if I tried talking you into it?” I batted my eyelashes at him.

“Maybe,” he caved a bit, “But ONLY maybe. And that is a hell of a maybe. Depends on what kind of mood you caught me in.”

“Alright,” I dropped it. Maybe is never a no. But I’ll let this incident die out first. I’m not the kind of girl that would rub salt in his wounds. He doesn’t deserve that.

“You know,” Ritsu took my hand on the table, “We’re going home tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” I didn’t like thinking about it, but this time, it’ll be better, “I’ll miss New York.”

“Me, too,” he agreed, “We can always come back, though.”

“I know,” I smiled a little, biting the inside of my cheek, “But can I tell you a secret?”

“Always.”

“I really can’t wait to get back to Tokyo,” I confessed.

“You?” Ritsu gasped with a certain dramatic flair, “Really? The little girl that had no room in her heart for another city other than the alleged greatest in the world?”

“It is the greatest city in the world,” I assured him, “Don’t you remember us seeing Hamilton?”

“I remember,” he nodded, “Didn’t think I’d be into musicals, but that was a hell of a show. Yes. I get it. There’s nowhere better than here.”

“But,” I went on, “I miss my friends.”

“I miss them, too,” Ritsu admitted, “Tell any of them I ever said that and I will kick your ass.”

“Only if I don’t kick yours first,” I teased.

“But I miss the ramen shop,” he added, “Our nights there.”

“I miss our weekends in Hakone…”

“Our weekends in Karuizawa…”

“My roof…”

“My mom…” Ritsu’s addition broke my heart. Just then, it dawned on me. He and I have been out of Japan all summer. I’m sure Kiyomi misses him terribly, too.

“I miss her, too,” I told him. Kiyomi liked me. She’d gush over me to Ritsu and I’d always find out about it, “Hey…Do you think we could go see mine after we’re done here?”

“Absolutely,” he swore, “You don’t keep me from seeing my mom. I sure as hell would never keep you from yours.”

“But…” I pointed out, “You haven’t been home all summer.”

“I know,” Ritsu settled me, “And that was my choice. You think I haven’t kept in contact with Mom since we left?”

“Good,” I could breathe a little easier.

“But,” he allowed, “As soon as we’re done here, we can definitely go see your mom.”

“And when we’re done in New York,” I countered, “We’ll go see you mom.”

“Deal,” a little smile graced his face, “For now, though, I think I’d like to sit here with my beautiful girlfriend, indulge ourselves in incredible food, and likely have some heavy spooning later.”

“Don’t tease me,” I keep him. He’s mine. Too late for him to turn back.

“And maybe,” Ritsu decided to play even dirtier, “If someone plays her cards right, a repeat of what we did in Spain could totally happen.”

“Really?” Thank God that my bedroom is on a different floor than Daddy’s. Yes, he trusted me and I liked having that trust. But he does know that he can’t protect me forever. At some point, I have to start protecting myself. And that’s why he was so cool with moving me to Japan. He couldn’t blame me for what happened with the bitch that tried tearing us apart…twice. She cornered me. How was I supposed to know she’d find me? And lucky for me, I had someone watching my back that night. 

“Absolutely,” the toe of his shoe ran up my leg. This little shit was looking to flirt. I think I love this boy. Granted, I’m no exhibitionist, but the fact that it’s so public is awfully bold for someone like Ritsu. I’ll take it.

“Ritsu,” I settled him, much to my own dismay, “We’re going to see Mama after this. I don’t need to be riled up for that.”

“Sorry,” Ritsu dropped it. Really, Mama. You’d like this kid. He’s exasperating, but he’s my kind of exasperating.

Once we had sufficiently fully bellies, Ritsu and I headed for the cemetery. Usually, these trips were pretty melancholy, but for whatever reason, seeing Mama with Ritsu took some of the bite out of it. Regardless, the two of us sat on the ground in front of her grave. By the looks of it, someone’s come to visit her recently. I know it wasn’t Daddy. He and I have been in the Hamptons for the majority of the summer. Yet white lilies sat in front of her grave.

“Hi, Mama,” I made myself comfortable in Ritsu’s lap, “I brought Ritsu, too.”

“I hope that’s ok,” Ritsu knew better. From all the stories I’ve ever told him about Mama, that Daddy’s told him about Mama, he knew she’d love to have him.

“Of course it is,” I squeaked, rolling my eyes. But I knew better, too. I could hear that irony in his voice through six feet of cement. I knew better.

“You sounded just like her,” a voice rumbled behind us. Huh. That was a bit…unexpected. I shouldn’t be surprised, yet here I am.

“Daddy…” I cranked my neck back, laying my head on Ritsu’s shoulder, “What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d come check on my girl,” Daddy sat next to us, “I didn’t think they’d both be here.”

“I thought I’d send her my love before we left,” I told him.

“Don’t remind me,” he took me out of Ritsu’s lap. And Ritsu understood. He hadn’t seen the half of the bond Daddy and I have, but he respected it, “You’re leaving tomorrow morning…What if I don’t want you to?”

“Pretty sure I’m already enrolled for another year,” I assumed, “I…am…Right?”

“Yeah,” Daddy nodded, “I got you another year in Japan. I sent the check to Lobelia when we got back from Spain.”

“Hold on,” my stomach dropped, “Lobelia?”

“Yeah,” he went on, “I know you were going to Ouran last year, but now that things with you and Ritsu are getting serious, I figured you didn’t need the distractions.”

“But Daddy,” I whined, “Lobelia has the bitches I had to save the host club from last year. I don’t want to go back to Japan just to go to Lobelia.”

“Rei,” Daddy hugged me tight, “I’m fucking with you. I sent your tuition to Ouran. I know you can kick ass with the best of them, but you don’t have anyone watching your back at Lobelia. Granted, I’m sure you’d make new friends.”

“Or have Beni-bara on your ass trying to take you away from me,” Ritsu teased.

“No, thank you,” I shook my head.

“But still,” Daddy stepped back in, “I sleep a hell of a lot better when I know you’re safe. And who better than someone I already trust?”

“You…” Ritsu froze, “What?”

“Of course I do,” Daddy promised, “I know you’ll take care of her, Ritsu. You already do. Hell, you were good enough to go to her mama’s grave with her. Which, thoughtful.”

“Yeah,” Ritsu gave him a little nod.

“And Ness would’ve adored you,” Daddy smiled a little, holding onto me a little tighter.

“That seems to be the rumor.”

“It’s true,” Daddy went on, “She’d do everything to keep you in her pocket and never let you go. She’d make sure you were loved and that you knew it. She’d make sure you took care of baby girl. Maybe even worse than me. But I digress. Do you mind if I drop a little wisdom?”

“Be my guest,” Ritsu allowed.

“Find a love like that, kid,” Daddy advised, “Let it destroy what little guard you have up anymore. And let it destroy you. It fucking sucks when it’s taken away, but that pain… It’s a hell of a reminder that you’re still alive, you know? It puts a fire in your belly to keep you moving. To make that love mean something. A love like that will never be a weakness, but it’ll be your greatest strength. Because the love of a good woman like Vanessa has kept my head on my shoulders. On more than one occasion. And…Well, I know of a little girl that’s just like her. But scarier yet, she’s got too much of her old man in her, too. Scrappy little shit ready to throw down at any given moment.”

“That wouldn’t be me, would it?” I cuddled into Daddy’s shoulder.

“Duh,” Daddy kissed the top of my head.

“I think I get what you’re saying,” Ritsu thought it over, “It’s like…I know she could kick my ass, so having that kind of power on my side instead of against me would be a good idea.”

“Absolutely,” Daddy nudged me off his lap, “Go on, baby. Go say good night to Mama. It’s getting late and you two have a flight to make in the morning.”

“Ok,” I got up and kissed Mama’s headstone, “Night, Mama.”

“Good night, Vanessa,” Ritsu ran his hand over the top before putting it in mine. 

Ritsu and I gave Daddy a moment alone with Mama and got in the car. He was right. It had gotten kind of late. We didn’t say a word. We didn’t have to. I curled into Ritsu’s shoulder and shut my eyes. Just for a moment. It’s not like the drive uptown would take too terribly long. Our building wasn’t all that far from the cemetery. It was totally within walking distance. Then again, my walking distance isn’t exactly the same as everyone else’s idea of walking distance. Thirteen blocks on foot wasn’t all that much for me.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in bed. Ritsu was out like a light next to me. Hell, I even had pajamas on. How that happened, I may never know. But I stared up at the ceiling, unable to go back to sleep. Come on, body. I don’t ask for much. I have a long flight to Honolulu tomorrow. And that’s just the first leg of the trip. Ten hours and three time zones to go through. Then, there’s going to be the misery of jetlag to deal with all over again. I’ve gotten so used to being back on home time and school starts in less than a week. I don’t want to have to deal with the twins horribly jetlagged again. Once was plenty.

Yet, I still couldn’t sleep. Why? Because my body is occasionally an asshole. And this is the way it wants to show it tonight. At least there was one thing I could count on. I moved Ritsu’s arm off me and gave him a gentle kiss, hoping to all holy hell that I wouldn’t wake him up. He didn’t need to be jetlag bitchy either. However, when times were hard, I had my one constant. Whether I’m living here or whether I’m living in Tokyo, I knew there was one place I could always go.

God bless the roof. I looked out onto the city I loved more than anything else in the world. The bright marquee lights, the traffic equally going in and out of town, the smell of car exhaust, the thin veil of criminal activity going on underneath it all. This was my home. And damn, I’m going to miss it. But I can always come back. You’ll always be here. And this would always be my home. If all else failed, if things with Ritsu and me go totally south, if I never want to see my friends at Ouran again for whatever reason, I know that I’ll always be able to come back here. And that’s why it always sucks when I have to leave you. Find a love like that and let it destroy me…

“Hey, princess,” Daddy stood in the doorway, “What are you doing up here?”

“Hi, Daddy,” I sat back on the chaise lounge, “General brooding, if that’s alright with you.”

“Can’t sleep?” he assumed.

“Nope.”

“Well then,” Daddy sat next to me, “What’s eating you, sweetheart?”

“Nothing really,” I explained, “Just caught up in a little nostalgia. That’s all.”

“You know…” he let out a little sigh, “I get it. Your mom brought you up here all the time.”

“I know,” I nodded, having heard this story before.

“Even as you got older,” Daddy went on, “I remember this one time. You were probably three. You started screaming in your sleep. And I mean, bloody fucking murder screaming. Never in my life had I ever seen Mama run so fast. She brought you up here and you clocked right back out.”

“You know…” I thought back, having a vague memory stirring up in my head, “I remember that. It had rained earlier that afternoon, right?”

“Monsoonal,” he chuckled to himself, “You were pretty young when that happened, Rei.”

“First memory, maybe?” I shrugged.

“Could be,” Daddy figured, “But when she brought you back inside, you were sleeping at the end of our bed. I’d try to move you, but you weren’t budging. When we woke up the next morning, your head was on my calf, your legs were on Mama’s. Neither one of us had the heart to move. But Mama had court that morning. It was just after Uncle César had gone to jail. I think. Don’t quote me on that, but I’m pretty sure that was all in the same stretch of time.”

“And a few years after that,” I giggled, “He got trashed at the family Christmas party and told me if I ever end up somewhere new, take out the biggest guy in the room on the first day.”

“Happy birthday, Rei,” Daddy laughed with me, “Here’s what prison taught me.”

“I was six!”

“I know! Mama brought you home after that!”

“It was a good birthday present,” I admitted, “That advice is what got me hooked up with the host club. And eventually with Ritsu. I guess we can call that a win.”

“Yeah,” Daddy smiled a bit, “Why don’t we get you back to bed? Your flight’s in a few hours and you need all the sleep you can get.”

“Ok,” I pushed myself up from my chair and gave the city I loved one last look. Good night, New York. Until we see each other again. Hopefully, it’ll only be a few months. Daddy and I walked back inside and into my bedroom. I didn’t expect him to tuck me back into bed, but alas, here we were. I’m not going to complain. Although, Ritsu drooling on my pillow wasn’t exactly helping. 

“So…” Daddy whispered, looking Ritsu over, “That’s really the one, huh, Rei?”

“Yep,” I wouldn’t trade him for the world. Although, at the current angle, I could understand why he’d be skeptical. Still, I’ll keep him, “That’s the one. That’s my boyfriend.”

“You know,” he suggested, “We do have a few guest rooms he could sleep in.”

“But where’s the fun in that?”

“Enough,” Daddy pulled my blanket over me, giving me one little kiss, “Good night, princess. I love you.”

“Love you, too.” As soon as he left the room, I balled back up in Ritsu’s arms. It’s amazing the kind of effect the roof has on me. Slowly, but surely, my eyes got heavier and heavier. Before completely closing. And I was sleeping like a baby. And by tomorrow morning, the city I loved would be behind us and the other city I loved on the horizon.


	4. Home Sweet Homeroom

Leaving home was never easy. Although, these last few trips I’ve taken back to Japan have been a little less gut wrenching. I knew Daddy would be here the next time I was in town and if I needed to break down a bit, I’d have Ritsu to pick up the pieces. It’s so much easier to have someone to travel back with than going back by myself. Ritsu and I waved goodbye to Daddy at the gate and got on our plane. Soon enough, we’d be back in Tokyo and we could resume life as usual.

“Hey, Rei,” Ritsu gave me a little nudge, “What do you say about us sticking around in Hawaii for a day or two when we hit our layover?”

“Can we do that?” I perked up, checking my calendar. Today’s Saturday. We start school again on Monday, “No. I wish we could, but we can’t do that. We don’t have the time.”

“Well, shit.”

“Look on the bright side, baby,” I laid my head on his shoulder, “We’re on our way home. By this time next week, we could be sitting up in the mountains in Karuizawa again.”

“Or,” he suggested, “We could go back to Hakone again. That’s a trip that never disappoints.”

“Aww…” I gushed, “Our first fight was fixed in Hakone.”

“That’s right,” Ritsu remembered, “I found out you were a lady and didn’t know how to handle it. Mostly because I had been treating you like a dude for a couple weeks before that.”

“And I told you,” I rolled my eyes, “I’m a girl. I’m sorry to disappoint, but it’s true.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” he held me tight, “You could never disappoint me. Instead of getting a new best friend like I thought I did, I ended up with my beautiful girlfriend, too. Do you hear me bitching?”

“No,” I nuzzled my head in his chest, “As awesome as it’d be to hang out in Hawaii for a day, I really just want to go home, Ritsu. Can we do that instead?”

Ritsu kissed the top of my head and ran his fingers down my spine, “It’d be my pleasure.”

I loved being in New York for most of the summer. Really and truly, I did. But Japan was calling me back. Tokyo wanted me back. I wanted to run back into Tokyo’s arms and stay there in its loving embrace for a while. At least until I get the itch to go back home again. Although, I’m sure I could safely call Tokyo home, too. And after a quick layover in Hawaii and another ten hours, the sweet smell of my second favorite airport in the world welcomed me with those open arms I was expecting. Ritsu and I jumped in a cab and headed straight for the penthouse. We were both exhausted and I remembered what my bed felt like. I couldn’t have been happier. This was home just as much as Williamsburg. And I would never ever complain about coming back to Tokyo again. 

“Home sweet home,” Ritsu stuck his key in the door and pushed it open, making sure no one would jump out and surprise us. Or worse, someone put a hit out on either him or me. I doubt it. I’ve kept out of trouble with the local yakuza syndicates. I don’t step on toes in someone else’s territory. Daddy taught me that lesson right out of the gate. And nine times out of ten, Ritsu’s on my hip, so I know he hasn’t gotten into any shenanigans lately, “And it’s just you and me, baby.”

“Thank God,” I sighed out, vaulting over my couch. Hold on…I felt around in the cushions and pulled out a beautiful piece of serrated steel. There you are, beautiful. Mama missed you, “It’s good to be home.”

“I’m kind of surprised we didn’t have to deal with Roy at the airport,” Ritsu joined me, taking my knife out of my hand and throwing it on the coffee table, “Is he finally off your dick?”

“Don’t say his name again,” I hushed him, “That’s when he’ll pop up out of nowhere. He’s like fucking Beetlejuice.”

“I…” he blinked a couple times, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Seriously?” I gasped, holding my face in my hand, “Ritsu…You’re so pretty. Bloody Mary. Do you at least get that one?”

“Yeah, I got that,” Ritsu nodded, “But what the hell is Beetlejuice?”

“A movie that gave me some wicked fucking nightmares when I was little,” I admitted, “But if I were to watch it now, I’d be totally fine. It’s too cute and cheesy to get freaked out by it anymore. He’s kind of like the same concept as Bloody Mary. If you say his name three times, you’ll summon him and shit goes down. I won’t spoil the movie, but we will end up watching it one night. I hope you know this.”

“If you say so,” he pulled me into his chest, “So…It’s just you and me, Reila.”

“Yes, it is,” I shut my eyes for a brief second.

“Whatever shall we do?” Ritsu wondered, “The ramen shop is closed, unfortunately, so that’s off the table.”

“We could go to Shinjuku,” I suggested, “Rumor has it, when the lights go down over the city, Shinjuku turns into an absolute den of sin. We could use a little sin, don’t you think?”

“No,” he shot me down immediately, “We’re not going to Shinjuku. Not tonight.”

“Why not?” I whined, “Come on, Ritsu. A little fun won’t kill us. I showed you some seedy ass clubs when we were in New York and I miss the ones in Shinjuku.”

“Because we have territory there,” Ritsu put his foot down, “Tonight’s not a good night for us to go to Shinjuku. I don’t want to put you in a potential line of fire like that.”

“Oh,” I dropped it, not wanting to piss him off, “Ok. That’s understandable.”

“We could still go out tonight,” he tried to make a recovery, “If you want, there are other places in Tokyo we can go for a little sin. Just anywhere away from Shinjuku.”

“Well…” As much as his efforts were appreciated, the recovery wasn’t his to make. It was mine. And I think I know just what to do to put a smile back on that boy’s face, “I know somewhere that’s far enough away from Shinjuku where we could still get involved in a little bit of sinning.”

“Do you?” Ritsu asked, “And where, my dear Reila, would that be?”

“Well…” I snuck in a quick kiss, “My bedroom is just down the hall. Daddy is miles and miles away. The front door is locked. My phone is dead. And it’s just the two of us. I bet we could do some sinning there.”

“If I didn’t know any better,” he rested his hands in my lower back, “I’d think you were trying to seduce me.”

“Trying?” I love Ritsu so much. He’s so sweet to me. But sometimes, I don’t want the sweetness. And he should know better by now. I grabbed his wrist and firmly planted that boy’s hands on my ass, “I’m pretty sure I’m succeeding. So, what do you say? Should we go make the neighbors downstairs know our names?”

Somebody came to play. Ritsu got himself a handful, “You did say you felt like sinning. Who am I to say no to that pretty little face?”

He scooped me up into his arms and carried me into my bedroom. We had school in the morning. It wouldn’t kill us to work off the jetlag somehow. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I am not complaining. By the time everything was said and done, it had gotten particularly late. And who was I to send him away after that? I have more class than that. And…well…He is kind of cute when he’s asleep. Not to mention, he’s good at what he does…and cuddly. Damn, it’s good to be home.

The next morning, I woke up with Ritsu’s arm wrapped around my waist and his face buried in my neck. If only we didn’t have to get out of bed and go to school. If only we could stay here for a little while longer. I dealt with Ritsu jetlagged in Spain. I’ll be damned if I deal with that shit again. So, I let him sleep. Maybe for selfish reasons, but I’ll call it something we mutually benefit from. Sleep well, baby. For just a little while longer.

I reached over to my nightstand and grabbed my phone. If I couldn’t move, I could at least keep myself occupied. However, I didn’t expect a text to be waiting for me. And of all the members of the host club it could’ve been, thank God it was my favorite. And my best friend. Good morning, Haruhi.

_Are you back in town yet?_

_-HF_

I missed her. And by the sounds of it, she missed me, too.

_Don’t tell the boys yet._

_I’ll see you in class._

_Ritsu’s still a little jetlagged, so be gentle._

_-RM_

Beep!

_I’m guessing that wasn’t for me._

_-HF_

_Of course not._

_-RM_

“Let me guess,” a grumbly voice came from behind me, “Host club bullshit already?”

“Just Haruhi,” I rolled over and got a quick kiss, “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” Ritsu pulled me into his chest, “We should get going then.”

“We should,” I agreed, getting another kiss, “How’s your jetlag treating you?”

“Better,” he pushed himself onto his elbow, “It’s a lot better coming back here than what it was going to the US.”

“It always is,” I admitted, “I get the same way when I go back to New York. My body clock _instantly_ goes back to east coast time.”

“What about you?” Ritsu pushed my hair out of my face, “How are you doing, jetlag wise?”

“Coffee,” I laid my head in his shoulder, “I need coffee. And lots of it.”

“Aww…” he cuddled me some more, “Pobre bebe…”

“Hey,” I shoved him off me, “You’re not allowed to hang out with my cousins anymore.”

“I like your cousins,” Ritsu pulled me back, “We got along famously. Frankie’s side of the family was half the reason why I loved our trip to Spain so much. And…I’m pretty sure you know what the other half was.”

“We got that friendly reminder last night,” I remembered, still trying to get up from my bed, “Seriously, though, Ritsu. Before we have a repeat of what happened after we had sex, we need to get going.”

“So, we were a few minutes late to Abuelita’s birthday party,” he finally let me go, “This is school. It’s not the end of the world.”

“Daddy was pissed,” I giggled, knowing damn well Daddy wouldn’t have been too harsh with me. He’s too soft when it comes to me. Ritsu, on the other hand? I thought he was going to take him out behind the woodshed and beat the ever-living fuck out of him. But he’s even coming around to Ritsu making him soft inside. 

“That lasted all of about two minutes,” Ritsu rolled his eyes, “But if you say so, I guess we’ll go to school.”

“Good,” I got up from my bed and went into my closet. Hello, you obnoxious, yellow pain in my ass. In all honesty, I kind of missed this obnoxious, yellow pain in my ass. I missed my Ouran uniform. Because once I put this on, I’m home again. With my lovable band of weirdos who are occasionally another pain in my ass. But what can I say? I love them. I missed the shit out of them over the summer, too. And soon enough, I was ready to go back to the halls of Ouran Academy. May this be another year of wonderful things to come. 

After a few kisses in the elevator, Ritsu and I stepped out the front door of my building where our beautiful black steed waited for us. Well…I say ours. It’s more Ritsu’s than mine. That didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate his motorcycle from a distance. I fell in love with her before I fell for Ritsu. Then again, in those days, Ritsu was still the asshole that knocked me down in the hallway outside the host club. Regardless, I swung my leg over the seat, not giving a shit about where the skirt of my dress landed and nuzzled my face in his shoulder blades. Now, I truly was home.

And because my boyfriend loves me more than life itself, he was kind enough to stop at the coffee cart on our way into school. He knew what to get me. Ritsu and I have been together long enough for him to remember my coffee order. And if it was strong enough to punch a hole through a wall, that was the kind of shit I needed in my life. Although, it sucked that I had to walk into homeroom on my own. I liked walking in with Ritsu. It made people less afraid of him and more afraid of me. We balanced each other out. 

Much like I did on my first day last year, I took the empty spot in the back corner near the window. Quiet, secluded, and if I ever needed to take a nap, no one would bother me. Mostly because I’d have someone swatting ladies with frequent flyer miles to the host club away from me. I didn’t mind the popularity as long as they could save it for the host club. However, as soon as my head hit my desk, familiar squabble filled the air. Along with someone trying to break it up. And that could only be three people. If those weren’t my boys and my Haruhi, I would kiss someone’s ass.

“REILA!” Hikaru and Kaoru sandwiched me, hugging me tight, “WE MISSED YOU!”

“I missed you, too, boys,” I tried to wiggle out of it, but at this point, I should know better. Once I’m caught between Hikaru and Kaoru, it’s best to just ride it out until they let me go. The more I struggle, the tighter their hug gets.

“Hikaru, Kaoru,” Haruhi begged, “Let her go. If I’m right and I’m pretty sure I am, she hasn’t had any coffee yet. If you value your lives, you’ll let her go.”

“It’s only the first day, Haruhi,” I settled her, “I’m not going to be dropping bodies on the first day. Come on. Give me a little credit. At the earliest, that’s a day two thing.”

“I missed you, Rei,” Haruhi beamed as Hikaru and Kaoru let me go. They weren’t taking any chances. Smart boys.

“I missed you, too,” I hugged her tight. It’s so good to be home again, “Sit down. We have a whole summer worth of catching up to do. Who went where?”

“You know where I was,” Haruhi pointed out, “And I’m sure you two do, too. It wouldn’t surprise me if Senpai sent out a group text about that.”

“I know where you went,” I smirked. Tamaki had been wearing her down the whole last month of school about it, but she finally agreed to do it, “And how was your first trip to Europe, Haruhi?”

“Europe?” Hikaru perked up.

“When were you in Europe?” Kaoru wondered.

“And why?”

“You really don’t know?” Haruhi looked at them strange.

“No,” Hikaru and Kaoru whined, “Where were you, Haruhi?”

“I…” she hid her face, “I was in France for a couple weeks.”

“What the hell would you be doing…” Hikaru started.

“In France?” Kaoru finished. It’s weird to think I’d miss that.

“Yeah, Haruhi,” I grinned, “What would you be doing in France?”

“Tamaki-senpai took me to France with him,” the tops of Haruhi’s ears started turning red. Aww…That’s adorable.

“Wait,” Hikaru thought for a minute, “When were you in France?”

“The last two weeks in July,” Haruhi sat up again, “Why?”

“Because,” Kaoru added, “We were in Italy in the middle of July.”

“Seriously?” I thought back, “You guys were in Italy in the middle of July? And Haruhi, you and Tamaki were in France in the middle of July?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah.”

“When were you in Spain, Rei?” Haruhi asked.

“Around the middle of July,” Ritsu joined us, handing me a non-descript white paper cup, “Here, babe.”

“Thank you,” I gladly accepted his offer. 

“Why do ask when we were in Spain?” Ritsu took the empty seat next to me. I’m impressed Hikaru and Kaoru left it open.

“Because,” I explained, “Apparently, Hikaru and Kaoru were in Italy around the same time we were in Spain. And Haruhi and Tamaki were in France around the same time, too.”

“Holy shit…” Ritsu gasped, “We dodged a fucking mine field.”

“Hey!” Hikaru and Kaoru whined.

“We were busy,” I settled them, “We probably wouldn’t have been able to meet up somewhere anyway.”

“What were you doing in Spain?” Hikaru looked at me weird, “You don’t seem like the type for world travel outside of here and New York.”

“Half my family is in Spain,” I took my first drink of the sweet, sweet nectar of the gods. Bless you, Ritsu.

“And then, there was the other reason we were busy,” Ritsu gave me a little nudge, making me choke on my coffee. Once I recovered, that motherfucker was getting a glare right through his skull. If there were less witnesses in the room, I would’ve beaten the shit out of him.

“What the hell?!” I snapped.

“Alright,” Ritsu put his arms around me, trying to get me to calm down, “I got it. Keep my mouth shut.”

“Thank you.”

“What happened in Spain?” Both Hikaru and Kaoru jumped on that. To no fucking surprise. 

“Ritsu, you asshole,” I growled, “You got them started! I was kind of hoping to avoid that, but oh, no! Rei’s not allowed nice things! First, it was the mess at Rosco’s. Now, this.”

“You can’t hold that against me,” Ritsu argued, “That was not my fault.”

“I know,” I dropped it, “But still.”

“Hey, Rei,” he added, “Remember last year when we came to school and I had your lipgloss all over my cheek?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

Ritsu got close to my ear, “Vengeance is sweet, isn’t it?”

“Alright,” I let him have that one, “We’ll call it even. But I didn’t even tell you guys the best part about my summer.”

“What’s that, Rei?” Hikaru and Kaoru waited with bated breath.

“Well,” I remembered, “I had to take care of some business for my dad. You guys remember me talking about him, don’t you?”

“Yeah…” Hikaru got skittish.

“What did he have you do?” Kaoru followed suit.

“Hey, Ritsu,” I asked, “How is your hand? I know it’s been a few days since we were in the Narrows, but I know your knuckles weren’t pretty afterward.”

“This?” Ritsu unwrapped the bandage from his hand, showing off the scabs on his knuckles, “They’re healing nicely. Thank you for asking. As much as I know he fucked the family over, I hope that guy’s doing ok. You weren’t exactly easy on him.”

“He wanted to play with the big dogs,” I shrugged, “So, I showed him exactly what it was like to play with the big dogs. He should’ve known better. Her Majesty is no rumor and she is no urban legend. She’s merely a legend.”

“Her…”

…Majesty?”

“Me,” I beamed with great pride in my heart. I flashed my tattoo on the base of my thumb at them, “You remember this?”

“Yeah.”

“He knows what this means now,” I rewrapped the bandages around Ritsu’s hand, “It’s always nice when they listen the first time.”

“You had to fight someone?” Haruhi worried. She knew what kind of life I had back home. I’m just glad she didn’t abandon me over it.

“I wouldn’t say fight,” I admitted, “The guy wasn’t much of a challenge. Hell, Ritsu got a couple swings on him first. That’s why his hand looks the way it does.”

Ring, ring!

“Aww,” Hikaru whined.

“Looks like we’ll have to continue this some other time,” Kaoru added.

“See you later, Rei!” And just like that, my favorite pair of morons took off like a bat out of hell. Goddamn, it’s good to be home! 

As the day went on, I kept getting subtle reminders of how much I liked being here. Shocking the hell out of people when I give long, eloquent, and intelligent answers in class, being able to take a nap in the back without interruption (or really missing anything). Soon enough, it had gotten to be that time of the day again. Time for my last class of the day. And my favorite. It sucks that I won’t be having it with Mori anymore since he graduated with Honey at the end of last year. I miss them, too. I don’t know when I’ll get to see them again. Hopefully soon. But if I didn’t have Mori to fight in kendo, who was I going to go up against now? Who would even be considered a worthy follow-up?

I looked over this year’s kendo class. Not too many of them seemed up to snuff. Not to mention, some of them had been in this class before and avoided all eye contact with me. Sometimes, it’s nice to be feared, but when I’m going to be out a kendo partner, it sucked! Why couldn’t Mori have stuck around here just one more year? Because, again, Reila is not allowed nice things. Alright, little lambs. Which one of you is going to be up for slaughter this year? Shortly after the bell rang, the door flung open.

“Sorry I’m late, Sensei,” the newest student in my kendo class walked in, “I got caught up in something in my last class.”

That one. I want to fight that one.


	5. Fight for Me

It’s always nice when I can walk into my kendo class completely unsure of who I was going to choose for a target this year and have one hand delivered to me from God. Thanks, God. That’s a cool thing to do for me. What a bro. Although, I wasn’t expecting that curveball you threw me. Not that I’m really complaining. Over the summer, I learned something about myself. I’m a little bit of a sadist. And sometimes, that sadism leaks over into…other things.

“I want to fight Kasanoda,” I demanded, fully prepared to throw hands. Even if it’s against my own boyfriend. It’s not like he’s going to hurt me too much. The thought of Daddy kept him in check. At the same time, though, I’m not going to rough him up badly either. He’s seen me fight and he knows what I’m capable of, but that doesn’t mean I want him to be on the receiving end of me severely pissed off. However, I did have a moment where I wanted to knock the shit out of him this morning…This might be interesting.

“Mendoza, no,” Sensei stopped me, “You’re not fighting Kasanoda.”

“Why not?” I begged, “You saw me last year. You know I can take him.”

“It’s not that,” he argued, “It’s his first time in this class. He doesn’t need to be going up against someone with experience.”

“Why not?” I shot a look over at Ritsu, who sat back with the biggest fucking grin on his face. I could see it in his eyes. That boy was ready to take me on in a heartbeat, “He might learn something.”

“I’ll take her,” Ritsu agreed, “That’s part of what this is, right? Honor and the warrior’s spirit? She thinks she can take me. But I doubt it.”

“She knows she can take you,” I argued, “Do you really want to go down that road?”

Sensei let out a heavy, exasperated sigh, “Just another year at Ouran Academy…Fine. If you want to fight each other, then fight each other. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Kasanoda.”

“Thank you, Sensei,” Ritsu’s smile only grew. He grabbed a staff and stood in front of me, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

“I think we can handle it,” I insisted, “You still love me, right?”

He knelt down at my feet, “I’ll always be your knight, Your Majesty. Just don’t be too rough, ok?”

“We’re in pads for a reason, baby,” I pulled him back onto his feet, “I won’t hold back if you won’t.”

“Deal,” Ritsu took a quick look around. Everyone else was pairing off and Sensei was likely nursing the early stages of a migraine. Goddamn, it’s good to be back. Before we could throw hands (or staffs in this case), Ritsu snuck in a quick kiss, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I could feel the fire in my belly burn brighter and brighter, “You ready?”

“Whenever you are.”

As soon as the first clack of our bamboo rang through the room, all eyes were on us. Come on, Ritsu. I’m hoping you do well here. You have been watching me all summer with my bat. You should know my moves and my fighting patterns by now. And he knew. As our fight began, I could see Ritsu trying to go for my legs. Little did he know, I had a good vertical jump. Dance classes have taught me well. I got a good, hard smack to his shoulder, stunning him for a second. Then, I got one right in his stomach. I love the boy, but I’ll be damned if I let my pride take a backseat here. There is no mercy in my ring. We promised we’d go all out on each other and that we’d still be together after this. Even if I did spank him in front of our entire kendo class. But it’s like I said. People will be less afraid of Ritsu and more afraid of me. I like that balance.

Instead of going for my legs again, Ritsu took a swing for the top of my hip. Damn them for being such an easy target. But thank God for the cushion. He had me for a split second. If I would’ve waited one more, I would’ve been down. Then, I had him. I hated snaking the win from him like this, but I also wasn’t going to admit defeat. Don’t get me wrong. Ritsu gave me a good run and I was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion. As he swung for the backs of my knees, I jumped his staff and gave him a good swing to the stomach. And I had him pinned to the mat from shoulder to shoulder with my staff. To no surprise, applause broke out around us. And I liked it.

“No hard feelings?” I hoped.

“No hard feelings,” Ritsu assured me, “I don’t know what I should’ve expected. You did take out Morinozuka-senpai on your first day.”

“Your hubris betrays you,” I kissed his cheek, “But damn, that was fun.”

“I threw the match.”

“Bullshit, you did,” I giggled, “I know you better than that, Ritsu. You wouldn’t throw the match. Just like I wouldn’t.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Ritsu tried holding back a smile as the final bell rang, “Change? Meet outside.”

“Deal,” I let him up. And I’m going to be completely honest. It’s times like these where I wish they still thought I was a dude. Because the showers were looking awfully secluded. And…well…We did just go toe to toe. 

However, that was no longer the case. The secret was out. There was a young lady taking kendo. And she just handed her boyfriend’s ass to him. In his defense, though, he did put up a hell of a fight. It wasn’t quite like fighting Mori, but it came damn close. I changed back into my uniform and sought out a bottle of water. I’m sure they have something in the music room. Not only do they probably have something, but it’s likely imported and it wouldn’t surprise me if it were sparkling. Yet, I made Ritsu a promise. We’d meet outside the kendo room. I’m not going to go back on that promise.

“You feel ok, Rei?” Ritsu checked me over, “I mean, I get that we just beat the shit out of each other, but you look like you’re about to throw up.”

“I’m alright,” I wrapped myself around his arm, “Just a little tired. I need to go to the host club. Are you coming with me?”

“No, thank you,” he shot me down, “I’d rather shoot bleach.”

“What about the ramen shop afterward?”

“Absolutely,” Ritsu and I stopped just outside the music room and he snuck in one last kiss, “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” I melted inside, “Pray for me.”

“Will do.” And just like that, he left me in the capable hands of the host club. Despite how taxing and fucking exhausting they can be. I’ve already had my ass kicked today. I don’t need them frying my nerves, too.

I tried my best to walk in the room undetected. By the looks of things, no one has noticed yet. Maybe they are going to stay off my dick today. A girl can dream, right? But deep down, even I knew that was wishful thinking. There’s no fucking way the host club isn’t going to know I’m here. I’m sure Hikaru and Kaoru said something to Tamaki at some point in the day. Or possibly Haruhi. Although, if it were Haruhi, I’d consider it a great betrayal that would likely end up on some sort of top ten list. At least in the honorable mentions.

“REILA!” Nope. I’m fucked. I waited for a second or two for Tamaki to leap from the shadows. And leap, he did. Out of absolute fucking nowhere, Tamaki’s arms were wrapped around me, spinning me in circles, “DADDY MISSED YOU SO MUCH!”

“YOU’RE STILL NOT MY FUCKING DAD, TAMAKI!” I planted my feet firmly on the ground and gave him a spin into the rafters.

“Welcome back, Rei,” Kyoya greeted me. 

“It’s good to be back,” I threw myself onto the couch in my usual section. 

“Forgive me if I’m speaking out of line here,” Kyoya pointed out, “But don’t you usually come in with a plus one on your hip? Kasanoda at the very least drops you off.”

“Well…” I began. Only to be cut off by more of Tamaki’s tirade.

“Reila…?” Tamaki approached me gently, “You two didn’t…break up…did you?”

“Fat fucking chance,” I chuckled under my breath, “I broke his spirit more than anything. He’s nursing the wounds to his pride I gave him in kendo today. Of which, I’m exhausted and I think I might catch a nap while I’m here.”

“Wait,” Haruhi sat across from me, “You fought Kasanoda today?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “Really keeps the spark in the relationship. It’s not like I knew he was taking kendo. But I didn’t have Mori to fight anymore. Not only did I fight Kasanoda, but I _beat_ Kasanoda. I took him over my knee and beat him like a red-headed stepchild.”

“You must make your father proud,” Hikaru and Kaoru assumed.

“Very,” I confirmed, “I’ll probably tell Daddy tonight before I go to bed. That is, if I’m home by myself tonight. So! Since everybody’s here, should we get to hosting?”

“But Rei…” Tamaki winced, “You’re not a host anymore.”

In that moment, the strangest feeling fell over me. One that I never thought I’d get after hearing news like that. My heart shattered to pieces, “What?”

“You’re a lady, Reila,” Tamaki reminded me, “Granted, so is Haruhi, but everyone also still thinks she’s not a she.”

“The puberty train,” Hikaru pointed out.

“Has not arrived at her station yet,” Kaoru agreed.

“Thanks, guys,” Haruhi grumbled to herself, “I appreciate you making that known.”

“So?” I defended myself, “That never stopped you from letting me host before.”

“You’re still a lady!” Tamaki argued, “And a lady can’t be a host!”

“Tamaki…” a bright blue vein stuck out in Kyoya’s forehead while he maintained a calm tone, “A word please, if you don’t mind…”

“Sure,” Tamaki followed Kyoya to the back of the host club, the two of them conferring in hushed whispers. By the looks of things on Kyoya’s face, this wasn’t going to be pretty. Although, I had a theory. There’s no fucking way Kyoya would let me go from the host club so easily. Tamaki, yes. He made it very clear he would. But I’m sure he’d still love to have me around the host club. After all, he does think of me as his little girl. Even though that shit’s still fucking creepy.

Kyoya, on the other hand? He’s a different story. After what happened with the host club when I became an unofficial member last year? No, no, no. There’s no fucking way he’s going to let his favorite little cash cow get sold for slaughter. Not happening. He’s shown me the numbers. With the amount of money I’m raking in for the host club, I should be getting a cut of the profits. I wonder if I could negotiate that with payroll. I doubt the others are getting any money from it since most of the host club’s shenanigans can get pretty pricey. I’m what keeps the Ouran Host Club in the black. Kyoya wouldn’t allow Tamaki to kick me out.

Then, a sudden bonk was placed on top of Tamaki’s head and the two of them came back out like nothing happened. Tamaki put his hand on the point of impact, “Ok. Rei’s still a host.”

“That’s what I thought,” I made myself comfortable, preparing for a short nap.

“Good boy,” Kyoya took a piece of chocolate out of his uniform blazer. Have I ever mentioned how much I adore Kyoya’s conditioning tactics? They’re a little dirty and underhanded, but what isn’t? “Now, shall we get to work?”

“Yes,” Tamaki allowed, “Hikaru, Kaoru. Doors.”

“Got it, boss!”

And so, business went on as usual. I got in a slight nap before my first wave of clients came in (and Haruhi, God fucking bless her had brought me real coffee instead of the shit they try to pass off as coffee) and to no surprise, the same shit in a different year. Although, this time around, I got one thing that was a bit different. Not to mention, it caught me right the hell off guard.

“Hi,” a girl sat across from me. Same old, same old.

“Hi,” I gave her a little nod and sat up better. Because if I didn’t, there’s a good chance I would’ve fallen asleep again, “I’m Rei. It’s lovely to meet you, princess.”

“I used to come here all the time last year,” she told me, “Whenever I was having an off day, I’d come to the host club and everything would be ok. In fact, I’d usually sit in your section.”

It’s weird she mentioned that. I looked her over a little better, still drawing a total blank. So, I spat out the company lines again, “I’m sorry, my dear. I seem to have forgotten your name. Do you think you could refresh my memory again?”

“Oh,” she chirped, her cheeks starting to turn red, “My name is Luka. I came to see you after my boyfriend broke up with me.”

“Oh!” I remember this chick. She’s the one I had to steal Tamaki’s brand for, “Of course I remember you, Luka. Please forgive me.”

“You’re forgiven,” she brushed it off, “But that was when everyone still thought you were a boy. You know what?”

“What?”

Luka hid a little smile from me, “I’m glad they still let you stay on. The host club. I like talking to the boys sometimes, but sometimes, it’s nice to have a girl friend on my side, too. It’s no wonder you’re so good at talking to girls.”

“I do what I can,” I gave her a little bow, leaning into her, “If I can be honest with you for a second, I think these guys would fall apart without me. I mean, if I were to leave forever and never come back. They’d miss me. And I know it.”

“And I couldn’t blame them,” she giggled, “At least they have you. I wouldn’t mind being a host. It always looks like it’d be so much fun.”

“But if you were a host,” I laid the host club charm on HELLA thick, “Who would I have to sit and have tea with?”

“You’re drinking coffee.”

“Not the point,” I shook her off, “But hosting takes a lot of work.”

“Then, it looks like I’d need a mentor,” Luka shrugged, “Or someone to take me on as an apprentice.”

“I’m so sorry, my dear Luka,” I sent her off, “It seems like your time is up.”

“You could do that,” she assumed, “Couldn’t you, Rei?”

“I’d need to go through extensive channels for something like that,” I kept nudging her out, “Kyoya will bill you on your way out and validate your parking. Thanks for stopping by.”

Thank God, she was my last one for the day. And the last one to come through the host club. I’m not taking on an apprentice. Just what I need is a groupie yapping around my ankles, asking me what to do next. It’s bad enough I have to deal with a Tamaki. I don’t need one of them, too. Hikaru and Kaoru closed the doors and I shut my eyes for a minute. I forgot how fucking draining being a host could be. I think I’ll need more than a nap when I get home. Plus, I’m supposed to hook up with Ritsu at the ramen shop? Fuck me…I should’ve mainlined that coffee.

“Rei?” Tamaki came to check on me, “Are you alright?”

“I could use a drink,” I admitted, “I haven’t had one since the bottle of merlot I split with Ritsu in Spain.”

“I haven’t had one since I was in France!” he chimed, “I got Haruhi to try champagne while we were there.”

“And it was vile,” Haruhi gagged.

“Oh, yeah,” I agreed with her, “Champagne is fucking gross. Trust me, Haruhi. I can get you some good shit. There’s a vineyard down the road from my grandma’s house. It’s got some of the best sweet wine I’ve ever had in my life. It’ll blow your fucking mind.”

“You shouldn’t be drinking anyway, Rei!” Tamaki scolded me like a child, “You’re still practically a baby. Daddy does not approve of this.”

“You’re only a year older than me, Tamaki,” I didn’t have it in me to wrap my hands around his throat, “More often than not, I only drink when I’m in Spain. Or when it’s the class trip to Osaka and my boyfriend looks plenty old enough to buy a bottle of sake. But that’s here nor there.”

“You’ve had sake?” Hikaru perked up.

“Kasanoda got you sake?” Kaoru followed suit.

“I don’t ever want to see you two drunk,” I demanded, “Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good,” I pushed myself up from the couch, “Well, boys, Haruhi…It’s been a day. I think it’s time for little Reis to head home. Not that it wasn’t lovely seeing you all again. It sucks that Honey and Mori aren’t here, but they’re here in spirit.”

“That was lovely, Reila,” Kyoya praised me, “Would you like a chocolate?”

“I know what that chocolate is for, asshole,” I giggled, “But I’m going to get out of here. I’ll stop by tomorrow to say hi. And _only_ to say hi, Kyoya…”

“What do I have to do with anything?” Oh, that little shit never changed.

“First, you offer me chocolate,” I pointed out, “And now that I’ve said I’ll be back here tomorrow, you’re going to try and rope me into working again.”

“I would do no such thing,” Kyoya gasped, “Reila, I’m surprised with you for being so skeptical.”

“It’s still not happening,” I stood my ground, “Guilt doesn’t work with me unless you’re Abuelita.”

“See you tomorrow, Rei,” Haruhi sent me out.

“We’ll miss you!” Tamaki gushed. To no surprise. 

“Bye!” I waved behind me and left the host club to their devices. Good luck, Haruhi. And Godspeed. 

When I got outside, the late afternoon sun hit my face. Honestly, it was kind of nice. But to make things even better, I noticed an occupied spot in the parking lot. It seems I have one more customer that I’ve left unsatisfied. I wonder how far I could push this one…Although, I don’t think my host charms are going to work on this one. I think I’ll have to be more of a call girl than a host for this one. I hiked up the skirt on my dress a little bit and tied the sash accordingly.

“Hey there, cutie,” I walked over to him, shooting him some flirty eyes, “You look awfully lonely out here.”

“I got my bike,” Ritsu pointed out, “She’s pretty good company. And there’s a girl in that building that’s due to come out anytime now.”

“Well,” I took his arm and rested my heavy, aching head on his shoulder, “You could use a little company, couldn’t you? Maybe with someone like little, ol’ me?”

“I don’t know,” he cradled my cheek in the palm of his hand, “That girl would kick my ass if she saw me with someone else. And trust me. You don’t want to be on the receiving end of that.”

“Come on,” I batted my eyelashes, “I’m sure it’ll be worth your while.”

“Well,” Ritsu snuck in a quick kiss, “How could I turn away such a pretty face?”


	6. The World is Ours

Let me start out by saying this. I’ve been out of Japan since the end of May. In that span, I’ve been to two other countries. Three, if we’re counting the stop at Heathrow for a layover. There’s a spot on the Upper East Side with good ramen, but it’s nowhere NEAR as good as our ramen shop, so if anyone was wondering why I’m a bit overindulgent in my ramen—and by overindulgent, I mean being four bowls deep in the first twenty minutes—that’s why. We don’t judge the ramen. We don’t judge Rei. Especially when she’s about to order bowl number five, despite already feeling like a beached whale. Totally worth it, though. Totally worth it.

“Hey, Ritsu,” I panted my way through my next bowl, “It’s so good to be home.”

“I feel you,” Ritsu agreed, in the same, sorry state I was in, “Don’t get me wrong. The ramen shop on your side of the world isn’t bad…”

“But fuck me…” I swooned, “They can’t do it like this.”

“There is something special about getting it straight from the source,” he sighed out, “But we really need better impulse control.”

“Fuck impulse control,” I laid my head on the wall, “I’m miserable, but this was one hundred percent worth it.”

“That’s my girl,” Ritsu took my hand across the table, “So, where to after this? Keep in mind, we got class in the morning.”

“Eww,” I pouted, “Don’t remind me.”

“Just a couple more years,” he promised, “Then, we can run off and do whatever we want.”

“For a little while,” I nodded, “Then, I go back home and figure out how to run the family before Daddy retires.”

“Really?” Ritsu thought, “I was kind of thinking we could get into some international shenanigans.”

“I’m already getting into international shenanigans,” I teased him, “Maybe I’ll fuck around and accidentally get involved in a yakuza syndicate.”

“I better be the closest you get to local yakuza, young lady,” he stuck his finger in my face, “I know you can handle yourself, but trust me. That shit is a whole different monster. I’d much rather keep my place in New York than you get tangled up in our clan. It’s better for both of us.”

“Fine, fine,” I brushed him off, “I got it. More importantly, what are we doing tonight?”

“I don’t know,” Ritsu shrugged, “Did you have something in mind?”

“I was thinking about going back to my place,” I suggested, “You and me. Get a little cuddly…”

“As much as I’d love to…”

“Don’t tell me this is the night you’re not in the mood.”

“I was thinking about heading home,” Ritsu admitted, “It was more of a question of if we had anything planned. I love you, Rei, but I’m wrecked. I did have some asshole in kendo beat the shit out of me today.”

“And don’t you forget it,” I beamed, still proud of my victory. 

“You know what?” he slammed the rest of my Dr. Pepper…That son of a bitch slammed the rest of my Dr. Pepper…Usually, that type of crime is punishable by death, but it is Ritsu. And it seemed to be the quick zap to his batteries he needed, “I could stay out another hour or two. We could go back to your place and get cuddly.”

“As fun as that’d be,” I confessed, “I don’t think I could. I can barely move. And I know damn well you’re in the same hell I am. Cuddly, yes. Sex, off the table.”

“Deal,” Ritsu agreed, “We can go back to your place and watch cartoons, but I am going home tonight. I don’t need the old man getting curious.”

“I understand.” It wasn’t often Ritsu ever talked about his dad and I knew better than to push it.

“Thank you,” he dropped it, “Maybe on my way home, I should go stop by Mom’s. Make sure she’s doing ok.”

“Send her my love.”

“Always,” Ritsu knew I adored his mom. Kiyomi’s a peach. What’s not to love? “But that’s not until later. For now, I got you.”

“I really did miss this,” I laid back in my booth, “Just you and me in our corner of the world.”

“This is nice,” he ordered me another Dr. Pepper. Damn right, he did. He drank the last of mine! Asshole, “Not that our time in New York wasn’t fucking amazing, but this is nice.”

“I never thought I’d like the quiet,” I shut my eyes for a minute, “But here I am, appreciating quiet. I like the quiet.”

“And I like you,” Ritsu gave me a little nudge under the table.

“Gross,” I jabbed, “Why?”

“Thanks, Rei,” he grumbled, “Love you, too.”

“I do,” I got up and sat in his lap, “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t fuck with you nearly as much as I do.”

“Thanks, baby,” Ritsu wrapped his arms around my waist, making sure to not squeeze me too tight. Puking was not on the agenda tonight, “Hey, when’s the next time we’re supposed to be in Spain?”

“Probably next summer,” I figured, “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know,” he laid his head on my shoulder, “This past summer…I kind of liked the whole world travel thing with you. We really should do it again sometime.”

“Where would our next destination be?” I wondered.

“I don’t know,” Ritsu thought it over, “I’ve seen southern Europe already.”

“Not all of southern Europe,” I pointed out, “We didn’t get to Italy, Greece, Portugal. Portugal is just next to Spain. If we were to hop the border around Barcelona, we could end up in France. And that’s just southern Europe. I wouldn’t mind going toward Romania.”

“Why the hell would you want to go to Romania?”

“Why not?” I retaliated, “We’re pipe dreaming here, Ritsu. Why? Where did you have in mind?”

“I think South America would be neat,” Ritsu thought, “I’ve already seen North America.”

“Not all of it. We haven’t been to Canada and Mexico yet.”

“Maybe they can be next,” he suggested, “Can’t you spit from New York to Canada?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s spitting distance,” I clarified, “But it could very easily be done in a day. Not all of Canada, of course, but there’s always Niagara Falls.”

“What’s Niagara Falls like?” Ritsu asked.

“They’re beautiful,” I curled into him, “I remember going there when I was younger. Me, Daddy, and Mama. It’s definitely something amazing.”

“We’ll go there next,” he decided, “Maybe when we go back to the US for your birthday, we can take a trip there. Just you and me.”

“You really think Daddy’s going to let that slide?” I scoffed, “There is no way in hell he’s going to be ok with you taking me over the border.”

“He doesn’t have to know,” Ritsu put my straw up to my lips. Bless him, “We could say we have to leave early and take a couple days there.”

“Ritsu, I love you and your ability to scheme,” I kissed his cheek, “But I don’t like keeping secrets from him. He always finds out. And you know whose ass would end up on a silver platter?”

“Me?”

“You.” Smart _and_ cute? How did I get so lucky?

“Well,” Ritsu added, “Maybe if I asked him nicely, he’d appreciate the gesture and let us go. He does trust me with your life.”

“That’s very true,” I nodded, “Maybe that could work.”

“Then, after that?” he brought us back on topic, “Where would you want to go after that?”

“Australia,” I picked, “I’ve seen a lot of pictures and videos and documentaries. I need to get a piece of that, too. What about you?”

“South Africa,” Ritsu mulled it over, “Maybe northern Europe.”

“Maybe India after that?”

“And Russia after that?” he came back, “That’s only half a continent away.”

“You want to go through China or Pakistan?”

“China would probably be the quickest,” Ritsu assumed, “And if you want, we can go through Bangladesh and…The other one. What’s the one north of Bangladesh?”

“Myanmar, I think?” I pulled out my phone and pulled up a world map, “Yep! Myanmar.”

“And while we’re going through Myanmar,” he traced a route on the screen, “We might as well do a pitstop in Thailand. Ever go to Thailand?”

“No,” I shook my head, “Can’t say I have.”

“We’ll put that one on the list, too,” Ritsu kept going, “And then, when we’re on our way through China up to Russia, would you want to go through Kazakhstan, through Mongolia, or through that awkward little gap of China between them?”

“Surprise me,” I allowed, watching over his shoulder.

“The world is ours to do what we wish,” he insisted, “As soon as we have a break…You know, the closest country to us right now is South Korea. You want to start there?”

“I mean…” I didn’t have much desire to go to Korea. I’ve heard good things about South Korea, but I could take or leave Korea. But then, I took another look at the map, “Hey, Ritsu…I don’t think we have to go through China to get to Russia.”

“How do you figure?”

“Because,” I traced around the eastern side of Japan, through the ocean, and around the northern tip, “Couldn’t we just get up through there?”

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, “But where’s the fun in that? We miss out on Myanmar and Thailand and China and any other section of the world we deem necessary.”

“Just thinking about being efficient,” I got up from his lap, “Now, before I make a huge mistake and order another bowl of ramen, we should head back to my place.”

“My pleasure,” he followed me, “Honestly, I’m surprised you could get up.”

“Fuck off!” I gave him a heavy handed swat to the shoulder, “Asshole. What did I say about judging my ramen consumption? We don’t judge how many bowls of ramen Rei puts in her body after a long day with the host club. Especially not after…whatshername.”

“Whatshername?” Ritsu gave me a look, “Who’s whatshername?”

“Luka,” I remembered, “Some chick that apparently comes into the host club on a regular basis. I took care of her last year when her boyfriend broke up with her. Now that I’m seen as a girl and not a host, she’s wanting me to take her on as an apprentice host. She wants to do what I did. I don’t want to take on an apprentice, Ritsu. Can you imagine someone being so desperate that they’d consider apprenticing a host?”

“Uh…” he coughed a bit, “Yeah…Totally. Hella desperate…I don’t know if it’d be desperate, Rei. Maybe she wants to apprentice a host, so she has a shot of making friends because she’s got a naturally mean face and no one wants to be around her and that shit can get lonely…”

“What…?” It wasn’t often that Ritsu went into specific rambling tangents. But then, I made sense of that specific rambling, “Oh, shit…I fucked up, didn’t I?”

“I wouldn’t say you fucked up,” Ritsu settled me, paying our excessive ramen bill, “It’s not necessarily that. It’s just…It was a long time ago. And besides, I made a friend out of Morinozuka-senpai and because I hung around him, I ended up hanging around the host club more. And if it weren’t for that, I never would’ve met you. Let’s take our wins where we can get them. Besides, my entanglement with the host club was way before we met. Just be glad you weren’t around for those days. They were not pretty.”

“What kind of not pretty?” I wondered.

“Just…Not pretty.” Poor baby looked like he was suppressing something. I couldn’t blame him. I’ve gone through shit for the sake of the host club that I’d rather have wiped from my memory, too. Particularly when Daddy walked in the first time and thought I was pimping them out. I’m still the family disappointment for that. Although, I wonder if I asked a certain pair of twins if there were any pictures, I’m sure they’d give them to me.

“Alright,” I let it go. For now. There’s always tomorrow to ask Hikaru and Kaoru about that.

“Thank you,” Ritsu kissed my cheek, “Shall we?”

“Yes, please,” I was losing steam and wanted to go home anyway. Thankfully, Ritsu knew when I had enough. The two of us took off on his bike back to my building. Granted, we totally could’ve walked, but anyone who thought I would walk much after the amount of ramen I put in my body is fucking high. And if this didn’t feel like home, I don’t know what would. A belly full of ramen, my head on Ritsu’s shoulder blades, and the night air of Tokyo cooling my face. The world was where it needed to be again. Along with the occasional kiss in my elevator. Don’t get me wrong. I missed Daddy and the rest of the family back home, but this wasn’t too bad either.

When we got up to my floor and to my front door, a light green envelope with my name on it was taped to my door. Huh…Interesting. I usually get my mail downstairs in the lobby. And I wasn’t expecting anything from Daddy for another couple weeks (We’ve made it a tradition. Daddy’s sending me a new knife. He gets me so well.). If that’s the case, who the fuck is taping shit to my front door? I took it down and handed it to Ritsu, “Open this.”

“What is it?” Ritsu wondered, running his finger under the seal.

“How the hell am I supposed to know?” I shrugged, “I just needed someone else to open it in case it was laced with anthrax.”

“What the fuck, Rei?” he squeaked, “By the looks of it, this is just an invitation.”

“See?” I gave him a little pop to the shoulder, “No anthrax. Who’s the invitation from?”

“What if it would’ve had anthrax in it?”

“Then, I love you for taking that bullet for me,” I kissed his cheek, “Besides, anthrax poisoning is curable. It’s not like I’m giving you a death sentence. Who’s the invitation from?”

“It looks like an engagement party,” Ritsu read. As he skimmed the invitation, he stopped in the middle, “Oh, boy…”

“Who’s it for?” I winced.

“Roy,” he flipped it to me.

“Why couldn’t it have been anthrax?” I groaned, taking the invitation from Ritsu and skimming it over for myself, “I mean, good for him. I’m glad he’s getting married. Hopefully, after they get married, Yumi pops out a little league team and Roy never looks my way again.”

“When is it?” Ritsu asked, holding my door open for me.

“This weekend,” I vaulted over my couch, “So much for Hakone.”

“Are we going?” he sat next to me.

“It’d be all of Roy and Yumi’s family,” I grumbled into his ribs, “It’s nice of him to invite me, but I don’t think it’s my place.”

“They did invite you for a reason,” Ritsu pointed out, “Think of it this way. If Roy was good enough to invite us, we should go. It’s free food if anything.”

“Fine,” I hated that Ritsu knew the way to my heart was through my stomach, “And if we’re lucky, there’s an open bar that doesn’t ask for an ID. My ass is getting plastered.”

“That’s the spirit,” he pulled me into his arms, “Let’s not think about Roy and Yumi’s engagement party anymore. Since it’s just you and me here, what could we possibly get into?”

“You’re not getting into me,” I put my foot down, “I don’t have that in me tonight.”

“Damn the ramen shop,” Ritsu teased, “Always the cock block. You know, you do have your Netflix account.”

“I do,” I sighed out, so grateful for my Netflix account, “Are you saying you want to start a series with me?”

“Absolutely,” he nodded, “You know…So we have something else to do other than each other.”

“Well,” I wondered, handing Ritsu my remote, “What did you have in mind?”

“You ok with an anime?” Ritsu scrolled through our options.

“I’ve never watched an anime before,” I admitted, “What were you thinking?”

“You’re…joking.”

“Not at all,” I shook my head, “Not one.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Ritsu gushed, “You’re in for a treat. How do you feel about blood and gore?”

“Have you just met me?” I giggled. But then, an idea struck, “Wait!”

“What is it, Rei?”

“Another time,” I yanked the remote out of his hand, “I know exactly what I want to watch.”

“And what’s that, baby?” Ritsu cradled me in his arms.

“You said blood and gore,” I clicked a few rows down. HA! There it is! “And that’s what made me think of it. Do you know who Quentin Tarantino is?”

“He’s an American director, right?” he assumed.

“That’s right,” I confirmed, “And because I’m in the mood for blood and gore and a little taste of home, we’re going to watch Reservoir Dogs.”

“What’s Reservoir Dogs?”

“Just wait.” And Ritsu said I was the one in for a treat, “This is one of my favorite movies. It came out before I was born, but oddly enough, it came out a week after Mama and Daddy got married.”

“I’m guessing that’s a joke,” Ritsu hoped.

“They saw it on their honeymoon,” I assured him, “Daddy still has the ticket stubs somewhere.”

“And now I know where you get your fucked up little head from,” he kissed the top of that fucked up head.

“Do you trust me?”

“Without a doubt.”

I haven’t watched Reservoir Dogs in years. To this day, I still can’t hear Stealers Wheel without thinking about this damn movie. But GODDAMN, is it a masterpiece. It made me a little homesick, in all honesty, but whenever I was in need of a good fix for blood and gore, it’s a go to. It’s either Reservoir Dogs or You Only Live Twice. However, as the credits started rolling, that meant something else would come to an end. I got a quick kiss from Ritsu at the door. And an even longer one in the elevator.

“I’ll see you in the morning, ok?” Ritsu promised as we stood outside my building, “I will be right here to pick you up.”

“I know,” I curled into him, “I love you, Ritsu.”

“I love you, too, baby,” he held me tighter, “Hey…Look at me, Rei.”

“What?” I cranked my neck back.

“Nothing much really,” Ritsu smiled, “Just wanted to see that cute little face of yours again. Tomorrow morning. Pinky promise. Now, go back inside, talk to your dad, and go to bed.”

“Yes, sir,” I nodded, “Send Kiyomi my love.”

“Always do.”

And there he goes…His taillights faded into the horizon, leaving me on the sidewalk with an empty feeling in my chest. I’d be ok, though. It’s just until tomorrow. Then, we’re back to where we belong. Although, I hated riding the elevator back up by myself. Dammit…Daddy was right. The boy made me go soft. Of everyone that could’ve made me go soft, I’m glad it was him. Soft spots aren’t always weak ones. I’m sure that right now, Ritsu’s name is spoken of in hushed whispers through the underground. He’s more or less my sidekick. My knight…

I crawled into bed and grabbed my phone off the nightstand. Just as I was about to text Daddy the events of the day, I noticed a text from my best friend. And not the one that just left here. I loved hearing from Haruhi. When I was still in the US, we’d text each other all the time. It got to the point where Ritsu was jealous. He’s just pissed that I have a preferred host, but since it’s the only one that makes any sense (and isn’t secretly a serial killer…Looking at you, Kyoya…), he’s alright. 

_Honey and Mori are coming home tomorrow._

_Chances are, they’ll stop by the host club._

_Be prepared._

_-HF_

Honey and Mori are coming back? And to the host club?! Ritsu and I got on a plane right after graduation and I haven’t seen them since. I missed the shit out of those two! Oh, fuck…If Honey and Mori are coming home, there’s no way I can meet them empty-handed. Especially Honey. Then, a lightbulb turned on in my head. I need to get to the grocery store. Hopefully, there’s still one open. There has to be. I opened up my texts.

_Tell Tamaki I might be a little late to the host club tomorrow._

_See you in homeroom._

_-RM_

I need to bake. And I need to bake now. I slipped my shoes on and took the elevator back down. Come on, Shibuya. Don’t disappoint me.


	7. Sugar Baby

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, guys! So, if you’ve been with me for a while, you know that sometime through the summer months, I end up posting a straight up week of one story in a lovely event I like to call Bomb Week. Well…Since it’s getting to be that time of the year again (and I don’t have a wedding to deal with on top of it), next week is going to start Bomb Week again! Yay! *Cue the fanfare*
> 
> So, for those of you who don’t know, Bomb Week is the one time a year where each story gets daily updates for a week straight. However, with all good things, some bad things are going to be around the corner. After I post this today, I’m going to be on hiatus until the 20th. That’s almost a month of me being gone from here. But fear not! Because once the 20th hits, I’m going to be here every single day from that Monday until that Friday. Then, I’m going to fuck off again until August. So, I’m going to let you get into this week’s update and I’m going to…I don’t know. I got a month of outlines to do, so…Probably that. K, love you. Bye.

“Rei…”

“Mmmmm…” I mumbled in my arm, not wanting to move. Although, my back was fucking killing me. What the hell, body?

“Reila…” I felt a kiss on the top of my head, “Wake up, sweetheart.”

“What?” I opened up my eyes and cranked my neck back. Hey…That’s a hell of a view, “Ritsu? What are you doing here?”

“We have school today, Rei,” Ritsu pointed out, running his finger over the back of my arm and licking said finger, “Any particular reason you’re covered in frosting? And some damn good frosting. Shit, Rei. Did you make that?”

“Yeah,” I got up from my dining table with every pain in my body imaginable, “I got a text from Haruhi last night. Did you know Honey and Mori were coming home today?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “Morinozuka-senpai told me last night. Why?”

“And you didn’t think to tell me?” I grumbled, rubbing the sleep out of my eye. And now, my face is covered in frosting. Come on, Rei. You’re better than that.

“I didn’t think it was that important,” Ritsu shrugged, helping me into my bedroom, “Besides, I thought you’d already know. Aren’t you in the host club’s group chat?”

“I didn’t get anything from the group chat,” I told him, “Haruhi told me. That’s it.”

“That still doesn’t tell me why you’re covered in frosting,” he kissed my cheek, getting the rest of the frosting off my face, “I love you, Rei, but damn, you’re delicious.”

“I should be,” I stumbled into my bathroom, “I was up all night making cake. I don’t know if you know this, Ritsu, but fuck, your girl can bake like a dream. I make my father proud.”

“Because of your baking,” Ritsu wondered, grabbing my uniform out of my closet, “Or because you’re too sweet for your own good?”

“Maybe a little bit of both,” I smiled, getting a real kiss from my wonderful boyfriend, “Thank you for waking me up. Chances are, if you didn’t show up, I’d still be out cold.”

“You want some help getting ready?” he offered. If this motherfucker isn’t careful, I may end up marrying him.

“Yes, please,” I wasn’t nearly in it yet today. I needed a shower like nobody’s business. I’m covered in sweat and flour and frosting. Where the flour begins and the powdered sugar ends, I may never know. All I know is that I’m gross and I’m so glad Ritsu hasn’t left me yet.

He helped me into my uniform (without a nosebleed. Color me impressed. I guess seeing me in a bikini and actually having sex with me has finally desensitized him. I will miss you, spontaneous Ritsu nosebleed.) and straightened my hair for me. Really and truly, I might marry him. He even grabbed me coffee from the café in the lobby. Everyone needs a Ritsu in their lives. Granted, he was kind of a pain in the ass in the early stages of our relationship, but now…I wouldn’t trade him for the world. I threw my leg over his bike and buried my face in his shoulder blades. And just like that, we were already off to Ouran Academy.

Once we stopped moving, I didn’t want to let him go. I don’t know if it was the extreme lack of sleep doing it or if it was all me, but for some ungodly reason, I was having a day where I was feeling clingy. The host club didn’t matter. School didn’t matter. The outside world didn’t matter. I just wanted to be wrapped around Ritsu and to go back to sleep. I’m a simple creature. However, I knew I couldn’t have what I wanted today. The world still spun and I still needed to function. Fuck.

But the best part? Ritsu didn’t move. He let me stay where I was for as long as I wanted to be there. People would stop and double take at us, but one look from Ritsu was all it took. Then, they weren’t there anymore. And I could go back to being human. I don’t understand what had me so clingy, but I know having people watch weirded him out and I’m proud of him for not immediately shoving me off. I think I love this boy. Although, after a while, we did have to go to class. It’s just homeroom. I’m sure I could go back to being clingy there, too.

“Hey, Ritsu,” I barely spoke above a whisper, “Can you do me a favor?”

“Of course, Rei,” Ritsu put an arm around me, “What’s up?”

“In the middle of my fridge,” I directed him, “There’s a layer cake. Can you bring it by the host club after school?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “That’s no problem.”

“Thank you,” I laid my head in his ribs, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ritsu kissed the top of my head, “You feel ok, Rei? You’re not getting sick on me, are you?”

“No,” I shook my head, “I’m deadass tired, Ritsu. I might have gotten a couple hours of sleep last night and that was only after I passed out at my dining table. Once the coffee kicks in, I’ll be fine.”

“You sure?”

“And maybe some No-Doz,” I thought, “But according to Daddy, that shit feels like having a heart attack. Even in my state, I don’t think I need that. I’ll be fine.”

“Ok,” Ritsu held me tighter, “Tell you what. Once we get to homeroom, I’ll go to the coffee cart for you, ok?”

“Ritsu Kasanoda,” I leaned on him some more, “I don’t deserve you. They really should name churches after you.”

“No, they shouldn’t,” he giggled, “And yes, you do. I’m the little street rat that doesn’t deserve an angel like you.”

And if that didn’t hit me in my already fragile emotions. Immediately, my head went to Mama and Daddy. That sounded just like something that would’ve come out of Daddy’s mouth. Maybe we do deserve each other. I pulled myself together just enough to not set off the warning signals on the twins and buried my face in Ritsu’s chest, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ritsu left me at the door, “I promise I’ll be right back.”

“Ok,” I walked into homeroom by myself and found my usual desk. Fortunately, I bring a regular pillow every day. Granted, it’s usually got my books and shit in it, but for the most part, it serves its purpose.

“Good morning, Reila,” Hikaru and Kaoru harmonized in front of me. Shit…

“May this day find you…” Hikaru bowed.

“…In excellent health,” Kaoru followed suit.

I glared up at the both of them, “I’m on two hours of sleep and one cup of coffee. My hands are registered as deadly weapons in two different countries. Is this really the day you two want to die? A random Tuesday in September?”

“No, ma’am.”

“Good boys,” I gave them each a pat on the head and laid my head back down, “You can speak again when Ritsu comes back with cup number two.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Rei?” That voice was welcomed. That voice was always welcomed, no matter what kind of mood I was in. Because that was the voice of an angel, “Are you ok?”

“She’s sleep deprived, Haruhi,” Hikaru warned.

“Don’t get near her mouth,” Kaoru added.

“She might bite you!”

“She wouldn’t bite me,” Haruhi knew better. She didn’t get under my skin nearly as bad as what Hikaru and Kaoru could. Haruhi was a peach, “Are you ok, Rei? Why didn’t you sleep last night?”

“I stayed up a little late,” I admitted, “I crashed at my dining table. That didn’t do my back any favors.”

“I’m sorry,” she winced, “But you should’ve gone to bed if you were feeling tired. At least to your couch. Your couch is incredibly comfortable. That would’ve been better than your table.”

“I didn’t have much a choice in the matter,” I went on, “I sat down. My head went down. I was out like a fucking light. Then, Ritsu woke me up this morning. Isn’t he sweet? He’s getting me coffee because he loves me.”

“Isn’t he sweet,” Haruhi smiled, taking the empty seat next to me. That’s usually Ritsu’s seat, but in his stead, Haruhi’s just as helpful.

“Wait a minute,” Hikaru remembered, “Isn’t Kasanoda your kendo partner these days?”

“Yeah.” Speak of the devil, Ritsu came in with a big ass cup of coffee and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look sexier. I’m starting to want to look for houses in good school districts with nice backyards for our future children, “Here, baby.”

“God fucking bless,” I gladly took that sweet, hot cup of magic and considered injecting it directly into my bloodstream. I didn’t have a syringe, though. Dammit…There’s one of those in the first aid kit in the office at the warehouse. Granted, it’s full of adrenaline, but here nor there. I got up from my desk, barely holding steady.

“What about it?” Ritsu sat down and pulled me into his lap. He knew. He got it. He knew I was having a day.

“Isn’t that weird?” Kaoru wondered, “You have to fight your girlfriend every day.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s weird,” Ritsu shrugged.

“Actually…” Because Rei’s delirious mouth doesn’t know when to stay shut, “It’s kind of hot. I don’t get it, but it does things to me.”

“Sadist,” Ritsu cuddled me a little tighter. I knew better. He didn’t care. He got just as turned on as I did when we’d go toe to toe. We throw down. We get all amped up. We get all worked up. Then, we wake up the next morning naked and covered in bruises. Worth it. Totally worth it.

“We always knew you were secretly kinky, Rei,” the twins teased.

“We can sniff that out,” Hikaru smirked.

“A mile away,” Kaoru mirrored his brother. 

“Back off,” Ritsu settled them. He wasn’t even being very menacing. Either Ritsu’s losing his touch or the twins are growing an immunity. 

“But Ritsu,” I laid my head in his chest, “You have to admit. It is pretty hot when we’re in kendo together.”

“It’s like Spain all over again,” he kissed my forehead, “You remember Spain, don’t you, Reila?”

“Absolutely,” I bit the inside of my cheek, saying something that I knew only Ritsu would understand, “Te gusta cuando te pincho al piso y te hago mi perra, mi amor.”

“Si, princesa.” It’s nice when my message gets across. I love this boy.

“Hey, Rei?” Hikaru gave me a look, “Since when…”

“Does Kasanoda speak Spanish?” Kaoru added.

“Oh, how quickly you two forget,” I reminded them, “Since he spent the whole summer with his American girlfriend and her Spaniard father. And then, there was the couple weeks in Spain with my cousins. You guys, I’m almost fluent in Spanish. It’s my dad’s first language. Besides, Spanish is hella easy to learn. And Ritsu learns quickly.”

“Well,” Ritsu pointed out, “I also had a damn good teacher.”

“That’s right, baby…”

“Between Frankie and Abuelita,” he teased, “I think I could get the hang of it in the next few months.”

“Seriously?” I glared up at him, “Chances are, you won’t see Abuelita until next summer and Daddy at the end of the year at the earliest. Unless he decides to come visit during the business slump again. But don’t you think you have someone a little closer to home that can teach you?”

“I don’t know,” Ritsu only got worse, “I guess I could always use the internet.”

“Can I teach you a Spanish phrase right now?” I asked.

“Sure, Rei. Go ahead.”

“Mi novio es un pendejo que está a punto de tomar un café caliente en su polla!” I snapped at him.

“Uh…” Ritsu knew a few words in that sentence. I know he did. Because I’m the one who taught them to him in the first place! 

“That didn’t sound nice, Kasanoda,” Hikaru winced.

“You wouldn’t happen to know what she said,” Kaoru cringed, “Would you?”

“Te amo…?” Ritsu tried to recover. And dammit, it worked, “You know I’m just fucking with you, Rei. You taught me more than your dad did. Although, he did teach me some nice things to say whenever you get pissed.”

“Como que?” I growled.

“Eres mi sol,” Ritsu thought back, “Eres mi corozon. Eres mi…vida. Y te amo mucho.”

“I fucking hate you,” I hid a smile in his shoulder, “But you’re so lucky I love you.”

“I’m sorry, baby,” he held me tighter, “I didn’t realize that would’ve set you off. You are tired cranky and need to catch a nap somewhere today.”

“Calculus,” I figured, “I can always sleep in calculus.”

“That’s my girl.”

“And if I can’t do my calculus homework,” I smirked, “I know someone who can. Because he owes me now.”

“Fine, fine,” Ritsu brushed me off, “I’ll do your calculus homework.”

“Thank you,” I kissed his cheek.

“Are you all better?”

“Si, cariño.”

“Bueno.”

“What the hell just happened?” Haruhi blinked a couple times.

“You just witnessed Ritsu and me get into a fight,” I clarified, “And we fixed it Telemundo style.”

“I wouldn’t call that Telemundo style,” Ritsu pointed out, “I watched plenty of Spanish soaps with Abuelita this past summer. There was no plate throwing. No one threw wine at the other. Can we really call it Telemundo?”

“That’s just the soaps,” I rolled my eyes, “But you do make a point.”

Ring, ring!

“Hey, Rei,” Haruhi asked, “Are you still coming by the host club today?”

“And miss out on Honey and Mori?” I scoffed, the coffee already kicking in, “I sure as fuck think not. Yeah. I’ll be by.”

“Yay!” Hikaru and Kaoru sandwiched me. Just what I was looking for.

“Boys,” I reminded them, “What did I tell you?”

“You’re not going to kill us,” Hikaru assured.

“You’re almost through your second cup of coffee,” Kaoru saw through me, too. Dammit. I love them and hate them all at the same time. They might be pains in the ass, but they’re my pains in the ass. 

“You’re both in close enough proximity where I can knock your heads together.”

“Fine,” they both separated from me. Damn, I got those two trained. 

For the rest of the day, I started to catch up on my sleep. Just a little bit. Enough to be coherent by the end of the day. And overdosing on caffeine at lunch may or may not have been helpful. However, now was my favorite time of the day and all of that beautiful artificial sleep was hitting at once. I was overly amped up. I could punch a hole through a wall. And I hope to God Ritsu doesn’t have to go to the hospital because of me today.

“Hey, baby,” Ritsu met me in the kendo room, “You ready to go?”

“I’m so fucking ready,” I could hardly contain myself. If I’m not careful, I may jump out of my skin.

“Holy shit, Rei,” he gasped, “You did a one-eighty from the last time I saw you.”

“I feel fantastic!” I bounced around, “This is like when I drink tequila only without me puking all over the place. But be on the lookout. That might still happen.”

“Are you ok?” Ritsu giggled, “I’m not going to have to take you to the hospital for a heart attack, am I?”

“Nope,” I shook my head, “I know my limits. And I’m pretty sure I’m at my limit.”

But I knew damn well that this energy wasn’t going to last forever. Because once I get home, I have a feeling I’m going to crash and crash hard. As long as I don’t end up with a miserable headache (also, much like my tequila crash), I’ll be fine. But for now, I was hopped up on enough synthetic chemicals to keep me afloat. As soon as Sensei walks in, we’ll be ready to go. And dammit, I couldn’t wait for Sensei to walk in. Even though he’s opposed to me fighting Ritsu (and probably opposed to me being in this class at all), he’s fun to screw with. 

“Alright, class.” Sensei’s here! Sensei’s here! Sensei’s here! Alright, indeed. I got this. Let’s go, “Today, we have a special guest observer. Just an observer! He is one of the best to have ever come through this kendo class. Everyone join me in welcoming Takashi Morinozuka.”

“Thank you, Sensei,” Mori walked in and bowed to him. 

“Begin!”

“Mori!” I ran and jumped into his arms. If it were anyone else, Ritsu would’ve fucking killed me. But…It is Mori. He knew Mori wouldn’t try anything and he knew I could behave myself. 

“Hi, Rei,” Mori hugged me tight, “I thought you were going back to New York at the end of last year.”

“I did,” I nodded, “And then, to Spain. And then, back to New York. And now, I’m back here!”

“Forgive her, Morinozuka-senpai,” Ritsu excused me, “She’s running on no sleep and all caffeine. And possibly a little adrenaline.”

“It’s alright,” Mori let it go, putting me back on the floor, “It is good to see you both, though. Who are you fighting now, Rei?”

“Who else?” I squeaked, “It’s like I told you on day one. Fight the biggest motherfucker in the room. And on the first day, that happened to be Ritsu. It’s done wonders for our love life.”

“That…” Ritsu winced, “Might have been a little too much information, Rei.”

“What?” I scoffed, “Now, you’re going to start being a prude?”

“You’re fighting Kasanoda now?” Mori diffused the potential fight. Bless him.

“Yeah!” I squealed, “And it’s so much fun! Don’t get me wrong, Mori. Last year, it was always nice to have you in here to fight, but now that I get to smack Ritsu around…”

“Hey!” Ritsu whined, “What the hell, Rei?”

“It’s like venting to the right person,” I finished, “Still…As much as I like fighting Ritsu, it’s not the same.”

“As fighting me?” Mori figured.

“Yeah,” I smiled, “I miss fighting you.”

A little smile stretched across Mori’s face, “Do we need to?”

“No,” I brushed him off, “We don’t need to…Unless…You were thinking about a quick match?”

“It’d be quick alright.”

“Mori…” I smirked, “Are you trying to trash talk me?”

“No.”

“Bullshit,” I knew Mori’s tells. He was ready for a fight. And with me of all people.

“Morinozuka-senpai, please,” Ritsu begged, “As much as I’d love to see Rei fight someone that isn’t me, you don’t have to do this.”

“Oh, Ritsu, Ritsu, Ritsu,” I awed, “You’re so cute. Because I don’t think it’s that he _has_ to fight me. He _wants_ to fight me. He’s _itching_ to fight me again. Aren’t you, Mori?”

“You could say that,” Mori started walking toward the staffs.

“Morinozuka,” Sensei tried getting in the middle of it, “What are you doing?”

“I’d like to fight one of your students,” Mori declared, shooting a look over at me.

“Absolutely not!” Sensei turned him down, “They’re still my students and you’re still just a guest here. You can’t…”

“I want to fight him,” I grinned, “I already know I can take him.”

“Oh, God…” Sensei held his face in his hands, “Why am I surprised? Why am I surprised? I shouldn’t be, yet here I am. Alright, Mendoza. If you’re wanting to get hurt, who am I to stop you anymore?”

“Thank you, Sensei,” Mori nodded.

“Thank you, Sensei,” I have never been so fucking ready for a fight. God, I missed being back at Ouran. It’s so damn good to be home away from home again. 


	8. Family Reunion or Fight Club

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. I missed all of you so much. I mean, I got the whole week written out already, so it’s not like I missed the story. I did at the time, but you get what I mean. Now, I specifically missed YOU. Yes, you. I missed the ones that have hit the refresh button many, many times waiting for this to go back up. I missed the ones that read all the others before this, just to check up on me. I missed the ones that are just joining us. Fear not, my babes, because it’s just you and me for the rest of the week. Happy day one! But if you’d like, I can give you a quick recap. If you don’t need it, feel free to skip it and I’ll see you tomorrow. If you do, though:
> 
> So, where we last left off, Honey and Mori are finally back home! And what better way to bring them back than in Rei and Ritsu’s kendo class? Mori missed Rei, too. Most importantly, he missed throwing down with her. And now, we’re about to get into that fight. Are we ready? I’m ready. Let’s get to it. x

In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I so missed being home. Specifically, I missed fighting Mori. I know it’s a weird thing to miss, but this was like my therapy away from beating the shit out of guys in the Narrows. Instead, I knew I’d have a formidable opponent. I knew I’d have a challenge. Although, I wasn’t banking on Mori getting stronger since our last fight. Holy shit, dude. It’s like he trained every single day. Mori was pulling moves on me I had never seen before. What makes that even worse? I was losing.

When I first met Takashi Morinozuka, I told him the sage-like wisdom my uncle gave me on my sixth birthday. He taught me prison rules. Find the biggest motherfucker in the room and take his ass out. And that was how Mori and I met. Because he was the biggest motherfucker, I wanted to fight him. And I did. And I remember winning that fight. But this? This was a different Mori. He was itching to fight me again and he was looking to draw blood. Fortunately, both he and I were padded all to hell, so it’s not like any bloodshed will be taking place today. Unless we’re spitting it out. 

But I didn’t think he was this thirsty for vengeance. I still had a reputation to uphold here, Mori. You can’t back off just a little? No. Because I wouldn’t want this any other way. Still…He’s killing me here. Even though I’m all kinds of jacked on a shit ton of caffeine, both natural and synthetic, it’s not helping me here. I didn’t have near the stamina it took to keep up with him at this point. Maybe if I had gotten some sleep last night, I’d be better, but this? This was murder.

“You’ve gotten stronger, Rei,” Mori praised, sweeping me off my feet. And not in the sweet, romantic way.

“I’ve been cracking heads in the Narrows for Daddy all summer,” I picked myself back up, going for his legs, too. Only for him to jump my staff. Dammit.

“It shows.”

“Rei!” Ritsu called out from the sidelines, “You’re falling behind, baby!”

“Thank you, Ritsu,” I dodged another attack, “Very helpful.”

“Remember the week in New York,” he coached, “Just before we left for Spain?”

I thought back for a second. Some asshole thought he’d pull one over on us. And he liked to run. I remember exactly where we were. And what I did to take that little shit out. I grabbed my staff like I would my beautiful blackwood and gave a good, hard swing to the side of Mori’s knees. Immediately, he dropped to the floor. And I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say I won. Was it a dirty, low move? Yes. But did it solidify my position in my kendo class? Also yes. 

Once Mori tapped out, I fell to the mat, too. Just to catch my breath. I panted heavily next to him, laying my head on his chest, “I still got it.”

“Nice work, Rei,” Mori applauded, just as knocked out as I was, “Very nice. You’ve kept up the muscle, haven’t you?”

“Daddy kept me busy this summer,” I held back a smile, “Let’s just leave it at that. But don’t sell yourself so short. It’s nice to have a challenge again.”

“Hey!” Ritsu squeaked, helping me sit back up.

“I love you, Ritsu,” I did my damage control, “But you are nothing like fighting Mori.”

“Ouch…” he clutched his chest, “My pride. You want to tear my heart out, Rei?”

“It’s not like that,” I clarified, “Your attacks are incredibly sporadic. Fighting you is like fighting someone that just did three rails of coke and picked up a chunk of plywood. Fighting Mori is like fighting a trained assassin. His attacks are much more focused and precise. Are you busy these days, Mori? Because I’m sure Daddy could use someone like you. Speaking of trained assassins.”

“No,” Mori shot me down. It wouldn’t be the first time. I’ve tried scouting him for Daddy before. Even Daddy told me he’d be down for having Mori on our side. But I guess Mori’s just not cut out for mafia work. Such a shame to let a good one go.

“Damn,” I giggled under my breath, “But it’s nothing personal, Ritsu. K?”

“Fine,” Ritsu dropped it, knowing exactly what our fights do to me. And I’m pretty sure that feeling is mutual.

“Hey, Rei,” Mori sat up next to me, using my back as a kickstand, “I left Mitsukuni in the music room for his nap. You’re coming to the host club, right?”

“Of course,” I nodded, “Besides, I got something special for him. Ritsu, you’ll still go get it for me, right?”

“Yes,” Ritsu promised, “It’s setting in your fridge still, right?”

“That’s where I put it,” I pushed myself back onto my feet just as the bell rang, “I’ll meet you at the host club.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ritsu shot a look over at Mori and Mori gave him a subtle nod back. I’m not quite sure what conversation just happened, but a feeling in the pit of my stomach tells me it was likely about me. Something about making sure I don’t get into trouble. But I like getting in trouble. Just a little trouble. Enough to make me feel like I’m still alive. Honestly, how much of that could I get into from the kendo room to the host club? I mean, I know I can get into host club shenanigans, but it’s one of my three days off. I’m not going on the clock today. No matter how badly Kyoya tries to jedi mind trick me into it.

When Mori and I got to the music room, everything was strangely quiet. Honey really was taking a nap in here. Although, as I walked further into the room, I noticed Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru hiding behind a large, sturdy table. Almost as if they were using it for a shield. Dare I ask? I’m sure they were just being stupid. That’s not a very far stretch for them. Ignore them, Rei. Just ignore them. Don’t ask why they’re hiding. I don’t think we’re hosting a surprise party today…Fuck me…I have to.

“Hey, boys,” I got down to their level, “Any particular reason you’re hiding down here?”

“Honey-senpai is taking a nap,” Hikaru hid, using Tamaki as a human shield.

“We don’t want to wake him,” Kaoru hid behind his brother.

“If we do,” Tamaki assumed, clueless to being the twins’ protection, “It’ll make what he did to those SEALs look like child’s play.”

“You guys are too much,” I sighed out, “You know that?”

“Don’t do it, Rei!” Tamaki reached out to me as I walked over to Honey’s daybed, “Save yourself!”

“Again,” I rolled my eyes, sitting next to sleepy little Honey, “It’s ok. He’s probably just jetlagged.”

I feel you, Honey. Really and truly, I do. Hikaru gave me a salute, “You’re brave, Rei.”

“This isn’t bravery,” I kept my voice down, “It’s more like mutual understanding.”

I bet you haven’t been able to get much for sleep lately, huh? I know you’re no stranger to international travel. But then, just as I sat down and got comfortable, Honey’s head ended up on my lap and he got cuddly. I let out a soft gasp and my heart stopped. Let no one ever repeat this, but I’ve never been so soft inside. And I’ve seen Ritsu and Daddy getting along like they were best friends. I’ve seen Ritsu and Abuelita weeping over bad daytime TV. This? This may end me. This could make me diabetic.

“Mmm…” Honey grumbled into my leg, making the three morons behind the table nervous. Those big, brown eyes of his looked right up at me, blinking a few times, “Rei-chan…?”

“Hi, Honey,” I pushed his hair out of his face, “Did you have a nice nap, sweetie?”

“REI-CHAN!” Honey, despite having just woken up from a nap, jumped into my arms and hugged me tight. For such a little guy, Honey had a hell of a lot of upper body strength, “I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!”

“I missed you, too,” I snuggled him, the others looking on in complete awe. I don’t know why they’d be surprised. I’ve never hidden my soft spot for Honey. If I had one for Mori, I was bound to have one for the little one on his hip, too. Besides, look at that face and try not to fall in love. It’s impossible.

“I have so much to tell you!” Someone recovered quickly. I missed him so much. I needed a little ball of sunshine in my life again. And I wasn’t going to let him go. Not for a little while at least.

“Wow, Rei,” Hikaru peeked over the table.

“We never thought we’d see the day,” Kaoru followed suit.

“I don’t know why you’d be surprised,” Kyoya popped out of fucking nowhere, “If she spends enough time with Mori-senpai, she’s bound to love Honey-senpai, too, out of association.”

Just like I said. Does no one listen to my inner monologues or am I just talking to myself? Out of everyone, it wouldn’t surprise me if Kyoya could read minds. Fortunately for me, one of my favorite people came walking through the door with a big container in his hand, “Hey, Rei…?”

“Hey, baby,” I put Honey back down on his bed. As much as I’d love to just hold him and cuddle the shit out of him forever, I had other things to attend to.

“Where do you want me to put this?” Ritsu did his best to keep Honey’s surprise level. I did make it kind of heavy. Sorry, Ritsu.

“Just on the table is fine,” I directed him.

“What’s that, Rei-chan?” Honey crawled back into my lap.

“That,” I pointed out, “is my welcome home present to you. Ritsu, take the lid off.”

“Since when am I your monkey sidekick?” Ritsu squeaked.

“You’ve always been my monkey sidekick,” I teased, “But for now, you’re opening Honey’s present. Please?”

That boy is weak for me and I love it, “Alright…”

With a little reluctance and a glint in his eye, Ritsu pulled the lid off the four-tiered cupcake tree I was so kind to make sweet little Honey last night…and last minute. His eyes grew almost too wide for his own head, “Rei-chan…Is that?”

“All for you,” I hugged him against my chest, kissing the top of his head, “Welcome home, sweetie.”

“Rei-chan!” Honey jumped up from my lap and ran over to his present, carefully looking over the nicely decorated tree in front of him, “It’s beautiful…”

“Where’d you get the cake tree from, Rei?” Tamaki still kept his distance, but even he could appreciate the masterpiece on the table. Although, I’m a little insulted he thought I got it from somewhere.

“My kitchen,” I told him, “I made all that just for you, Honey. I’m sorry I didn’t have a deep fryer to truly make them churro cupcakes, but the flavors are all there. I just hope I made Abuelita and her recipe proud.”

“You made that, Rei?” the twins gasped.

“You really are…”

“…more domestic than we give you credit for.”

“I’m so much more than meets the eye,” I laid down on Honey’s bed while he devoured each cupcake from the bottom, working his way to the top, “I pulled an all nighter for that damn cake. But it was worth it. Just to see that little face light up like a fucking Christmas tree.”

Honey finished his current cupcake and threw himself into my chest, “Thank you, Rei-chan.”

“You’re very welcome,” I melted inside, “It was my pleasure. I haven’t been able to bake in a while and I forgot how good I was at it.”

“Still,” Hikaru looked on with great confusion, “It’s hard to believe…”

“You come from mafia,” Kaoru picked up where he left off. Those two are so fucking creepy. Like the twins from the Shining…I swear to God.

“I can be soft and domestic when I want to be, too,” I pulled Ritsu down to the bed with me and laid my head in his shoulder, “Clearly, you’ve never met my dad.”

“Sorry, I’m late, guys,” Haruhi joined us, “I had some things to…What the hell happened in here?”

“Rei-chan made me cake!” Honey squeaked, ready to scream it from the rooftops, “Isn’t it beautiful, Haru-chan?”

“It does look pretty good,” Haruhi agreed.

“What were you saying, Rei?” Kyoya nudged me along, “What does your father have to do with anything?”

“He’s a total teddy bear,” I explained, “If you want someone else like me that is not exactly what the cover advertises, he’s just as bad. And Daddy runs the family…and most of New York, but I digress.”

“Really?” Tamaki looked at me strange, “Your mafia boss father is nothing but goo inside, too?”

“Sort of,” I clarified, “Don’t get me wrong. He’ll beat a motherfucker with another motherfucker, but that’s irrelevant.”

“It’s true, though,” Ritsu vouched for him, “He’s a big softie inside. Especially with Rei. My god, it’s nauseating.”

“Uh-huh,” I looked up at him, “You’re jealous, aren’t you?”

“Of your relationship with your dad?” Ritsu chuckled, “No. Never. I got one, too, Rei. You seem to forget that. Your dad and me are buddies. We text each other on a semi-regular basis. Sometimes, it’s to check on you. Sometimes, he’s checking on me. But I have a relationship with your dad, too.”

“Aww…” a familiar chorus of morons gushed behind us.

“You two really do have something special,” Tamaki awed, grumbling to himself, “I wish I could have the same relationship with my girlfriend’s dad…”

“SENPAI!” Haruhi screeched at the top of her lungs, her face turning bright red.

“No,” Kyoya corrected him, “I have that kind of relationship with your girlfriend’s dad instead.”

“KYOYA-SENPAI!” Today has been earmarked as hell for Haruhi, hasn’t it?

“Does that mean,” Tamaki brushed them both off, holding his attention on us, “we should expect domestic bliss with you two soon?”

“Shut up, Tamaki,” I stopped him before he could go off on that tangent. The last thing I need to deal with is Tamaki trying to plan our wedding. Because I have no doubt in my mind he’d recruit Hikaru and Kaoru to be his seconds. And that sounds like more work than what it’s worth, “That’s not even CLOSE to being in the cards yet.”

“I don’t know, Rei…” Ritsu, you’re not helping. I love you, but there are some times when your brain and your mouth seem to have a disconnect, “Maybe we could set a cap.”

“What kind of cap?” I didn’t like where this was going.

“For our relationship,” he decided, “Say, in ten years, if we’re still together, we get married. Have a family. Get a quiet house in the suburbs.”

“First of all,” I pinned him to the bed, fighting every urge to choke the fuck out of him, “If you ever mention us living in the suburbs again, I will cut you. You will bleed out. You will die. Do you understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” The fear in his eyes was kind of yummy…Why is that my thing? Of all the kinks I could’ve ended up with, why do I have a fear kink? Because I knew better. Because this was entirely controlled. Albeit a surprise to Ritsu. He should’ve known better than to offer a girl that’s lived in a city all her life the fucking suburbs. Eww.

“And so help me God…” Because I knew how the host club operated and how much of a hivemind they could be, “If someone’s snapping pictures, not only will I beat the shit out of your camera, but I will be the ever-living fuck out of you, too.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Hikaru and Kaoru put their phones in their pocket. Those are getting deleted. Ritsu spun me around and got me to settle down, “So…?”

“Are you feeling ok, Ritsu?” I worried, “This sounds like you’re either being force fed lines or your ass is against the wall.”

“I feel fine,” Ritsu pulled me into his arms, “What can I say? A summer with you and I’ve grown a pair.”

“There you are…” I could breathe a little easier.

“But,” he went on, “Seriously. What do you say? Ten years? Good enough cap for you?”

It’s nice that he’s thinking so forward in the future…Even better that he still sees me in it, “Yeah. I like the sound of that.”

“In that case…” Ritsu got up from the bed, “If we’re going to do this, we might as well do it right, yeah?”

“What do you mean?” I had no idea where he was going with this. But then, he got on his knee, my hand suddenly in his…And my heart stopped, “Ritsu, what the hell are you doing?”

He shot me a quick wink. Ok. He’s got something on his mind. There’s a plan afoot. That’s comforting. It would’ve been nice if he’d fill me in first, but I guess this is ok, too, “Reila, will you marry me…in ten years?”

Oh, Ritsu…You hanging out with my cousins this summer was a disastrous idea. The whole family is nothing but a bunch of hopeless romantics and it appears they’ve rubbed off on him. At the same time, this was the boy I fell in love with in the first place. I think I’m going to keep him for a while. At least for the next ten years. Let’s see how far we could take this. I mean, I think I understood what Ritsu was trying to do here…Since the whole fucking host club was waiting with bated breath for my answer. Let’s let them dangle a little bit.

“You’re asking for my hand already?” I gasped, “Oh, Ritsu…Have you asked my father for his blessing yet?”

“Nope,” Ritsu shook his head, “But we’ve talked about it in hypotheticals before, if that counts.”

“Really?” I didn’t know that, “When the hell did you and Daddy have that conversation?”

“You and Abuelita were out shopping for dinner,” Ritsu remembered, “It was just him and me. That’s one of the more eye opening conversations I’ve ever had with your father. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I already had his blessing. Although, he never came out and said it.”

“Daddy is a hard nut to crack.”

“So?” he brought us back, “Is that a yes or a no?”

I tackled him right then and there, a kiss between us, “Yes.”

“YAY!” Tamaki squealed, “I WAS HOPING YOU WOULD SAY YES, REI! I’M SO HAPPY!”

“Um…Tamaki?” I gave him a look, “You’re not the one who proposed to propose to me. What the fuck’s got you so excited?”

“He’s a sucker for a good wedding,” Haruhi explained, “Any chance for one and he’s spastic.”

“Bless him,” I awed, “I mean, if you’re down for a wedding, you can take my invitation for my PA’s wedding. The engagement party is this weekend and Ritsu and I got invited.”

“You got invited,” Ritsu clarified, “You’re just bringing me along, so you don’t kill anyone.”

“I wouldn’t kill anyone there,” I assured him, “Because that’s what I got you for. You’d be my assassin.”

“Jesus Christ, Rei…” Ritsu laughed, hugging me tight, “You’re a delightful mess, you know that?”

“I try,” I cuddled into his shoulder, “And as lovely as it’s been to see all of you in one place, I think we’re going to head out.”

“You’re leaving?” Kyoya wondered. Dammit, I knew that little shit was going to try and rope me into staying longer and probably resume my regular hosting duties.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, my foot still firmly on the floor, “I’m kind of hungry and I miss the ramen shop.”

“Not like last time,” Ritsu shoved his finger in my face, “I am not going to let you walk out of that ramen shop that full again.”

“We just got home, Ritsu,” I whined, “I missed it. Don’t blame me for that.”

“I know,” he pulled me onto my feet, “Come on. Our booth is waiting.”

“See you tomorrow, boys!” I waved behind me and brought Ritsu outside. Don’t get me wrong. I like spending a little quality time at the host club, but in its designated timeslot. Today, I made an exception because Honey and Mori are finally home. That was like a family reunion. But every family has the drunk uncle that had one too many. In this case, that was Tamaki. He got drunk on Ritsu’s stupid, but adorable proposal and we needed to get out of there before he started asking random family members to start dancing. I will not dance with drunk Uncle Tamaki. I got a life to live.

And that life begins at the coziest ramen shop Tokyo had to offer. Although, I don’t think I’ve been to any of the other ramen shops in town. This one has my heart, though. This one has sentimentality. This one is so wonderful that it made my charm bracelet. But that’s also because my boyfriend has his moments where he’s a huge sap. One thing still burned in my mind, though. The whole proposal had me thinking. It’s been just Daddy and me for so long. We’re a team. Always have been, always will be. If that’s the case, then why wouldn’t he have told me about his little chat with Ritsu? That doesn’t seem like something he’d keep from me.

“Hey,” Ritsu nudged me under the table, “You still in there, Rei?”

“Were you serious about talking to Daddy about us?” No sense in beating around the bush, right?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, “It was shortly after he realized you and I had sex before Abuelita’s birthday party.”

“Let no one say we’re not classy.”

“He also threatened me with a trip to the Narrows,” Ritsu chuckled under his breath, “Especially if I would’ve gotten you pregnant this early in the game. If I would’ve made him a grandfather young, he told me he would’ve castrated me. Isn’t he a sweetheart?”

“What a guy,” I giggled, “But on a positive note, if you were going to the Narrows, it’d be my job to take care of you.”

“You’d think that,” he went on, “But he said you weren’t going to be there to save me. He had all intentions of doing it himself.”

“Yikes…” I winced, “Well, Ritsu, I love you and it was nice knowing you. I will name our hypothetical child after you and raise them well. But know that twins run on my mom’s side of the family, so if there’s two of them, I’m not naming them both after you.”

“You’re not pregnant, Rei,” Ritsu rolled his eyes, his heart suddenly stopping, “Right?”

“That was in July, Ritsu,” I did the mental math, “A couple weeks later, I got confirmation that I’m not pregnant.”

“What?” he wondered, “Did you take a pregnancy test?”

“No…” I let out a heavy sigh, “I didn’t take a pregnancy test. I didn’t have to.”

“Then, how do you…?” Ritsu stopped himself, thinking for just a couple seconds. Bless this boy. Then, the lightbulb turned on in his head, “Ohhh…”

“There you go, champ.” He’s so cute.

“Can I ask you something?” Because I have a feeling he wanted to shake off his shame.

“Sure.”

“Have you ever seen your old man go all out on someone?” Ritsu asked.

“A couple times,” I nodded, getting sudden flashbacks to when I was about ten. That did not end pretty.

“And?” he kept his fingers crossed, “What would I have to look forward to?”

“Oh, Ritsu,” I put my hand to his cheek, “God, you have such a pretty face…”

“Um…What’s that got to do with anything?” Ritsu looked at me strange, “I mean, don’t get me wrong. Flattered, but seriously, what the fuck does my pretty face have to do with anything?”

“You wouldn’t have that pretty face anymore after Daddy got a hold of you,” I smirked, teasing him a little, “That is, if there’d be one left…”

“Fuck, Rei!” he squeaked, “Really?”

“It’s not like he’d go all out on you,” I assured him, “He likes you, Ritsu. You’d be fine. If anything, it’d be a shotgun wedding and your official initiation into the family.”

“Ok,” he let out a heavy sigh of relief, “Neat. Now that I’ve had that heart attack, let’s go back to your place, yeah?”

“Yes please.” Besides, I needed a nap. A big nap. And my big, adorable idiot to nap with.


	9. What a Mess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. Welcome to day two. Now, day one went well. Day one went very well. Glad to see you back here. Is that a new scarf pin? New scarf? Why are you wearing a thick, wool scarf in the middle of the summer? Regardless, it’s a beautiful scarf pin. Why am I fixated on the whole scarf thing? I need to stop. I’m going to go over here…I’ll see you tomorrow. x

That was needed. That was sorely needed. I know I’ve been over the jetlag for a few days now, but after the ass kicking from making Honey’s cupcakes, a good, solid nap is my friend and I love it. What I don’t love is when I wake up from that nap at eleven o'clock at night and the snuggly teddy bear I fell asleep with wasn’t there. Uh…What the hell? Ritsu wouldn’t have done something silly like leave without saying goodbye, would he? 

He’d at least leave a note. And I didn’t see one of those on the nightstand. Where the hell did Ritsu go? I pushed myself out of bed and started looking around my penthouse. Although, when I got to the end of the hall, I heard him in my living room. At least he didn’t leave me without saying goodbye. However, I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t help but wonder who he was talking to out here. It’s not like he’d invite someone here (aside from Kiyomi).

“Yes, sir…” I listened closely, “I’ll be there soon…”

Where are you going?

“Yes, sir…”

“Ritsu?” I broke my silence.

“Bye.” Immediately, he hung up his phone, quickly shoving it back in his pocket, “Hey…I thought you were still sleeping.

“And I thought you were still in my bed,” I buried myself in his chest, “Everything ok?”

“Yeah,” Ritsu chirped, wrapping his arms around me, “Everything’s fine.”

“Ok,” I nuzzled my face in his shoulder, “So, who was that on the phone?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Damn. That was quick. And I could tell he realized that just as quick, “Hey…Why don’t you go back to sleep, ok? It’s nothing you need to worry about.”

“Are you coming with me?” I hoped.

“No,” he shook his head, “I got places to be and I can’t blow them off. But I love you. And I’ll see yo in the morning.”

“I love you, too,” I got a little kiss before he left. 

But that was weird. Right? Like, that’s not just me thinking that? That was totally weird. Something’s not right. I know Ritsu said everything was fine, but I had a shit feeling in the pit of my stomach. I’ve never seen Ritsu so off. Even worse, he’s shit at hiding when there’s something wrong. I want to believe that everything’s ok. I want to think that everything’s fine. I want to know that he’ll be ok. And that we’ll be ok. But I don’t get it. If everything was truly ok, wouldn’t he have told me about it?

Regardless, I did as he asked and crawled back into bed. But I couldn’t shake that feeling that something was wrong. No matter how hard I tried. I could hardly keep my eyes open, but at the same time, there was no fucking way I was going back to sleep. I don’t like this. I don’t like this one bit. And I don’t like being this out of the loop. I needed a hug. A life hug. I needed some guidance. Fortunately, I had one person that could give me that guidance the best. I couldn’t have Ritsu here to help me sleep, so I needed the next best thing.

“Hi, princess,” Daddy answered. God bless him.

“Hi, Daddy.” Just the sound of his voice put me in such a better place. 

“Hey, hey,” he picked up my slight anxiousness, “Isn’t it late where you are, Rei? What are you still doing up? Can’t sleep?”

“That obvious?” I buried myself in my pillows, “Ritsu just left a little while ago.”

“And…” Daddy treaded lightly, “Things are good with you two…Right?”

“I’m not totally sure,” I admitted.

“Oh?” he worried, “What’s going on?”

“He came home with me,” I explained, “And we kind of took a nap for a while, but when I woke up, he was on the phone with someone. He wouldn’t tell me who, but it seemed to freak him out a little. There’s something bothering him. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time there’s been something bothering him and he wouldn’t tell me about it, but it’s just…I thought we were over that. He knows I have no right to judge, nor would I ever.”

“Maybe,” Daddy figured, “He doesn’t want you to worry. And that’s why he didn’t tell you. I’m sure everything’s fine, Rei. I know I don’t know Ritsu as well as you do, but you know better than to go against my gut. The kid’s pretty resilient.”

“I know I’m thinking too much about it,” I groaned, “But…”

“I wasn’t going to say it.”

“Daddy!”

“What?” Daddy jumped on the defensive, “You are _exactly_ thinking too much. If he tells you things are good, then things are good. Trust that he knows things are good. But if shit turns sideways, just be there when he needs it.”

“You know,” I thought it over, “I know your words of wisdom come from a good place, but this time around, you really do sound like a voice of experience.”

“Big time,” he chuckled a bit, “There are some days, baby, where you are _definitely_ your mother’s child. Mama and I were a lot like that, too.”

“Really?” I wondered, remembering back to when Mama was still alive. Never did I ever remember shit like that going down. 

“All the time,” Daddy went on, “We kept you out of our marriage a lot, Rei. We loved you. That was all that mattered on that front. But the innerworkings of our marriage? Any problems we were having? Oh, yeah. When Mama was still pregnant, we made that agreement that if we were having problems, we wouldn’t have them in front of you. We had our ups and downs, but you were just a baby. You didn’t need to be subjected to that.”

“Thank you? I guess?” I always thought my parents had the world’s most perfect marriage. I don’t even remember them taking their problems elsewhere.

“But we were a mess on occasion,” Daddy confessed, “And usually, those messes would be because of things going down with the family that I wanted to keep her away from. And you, too. But if I needed her, she’d always be there to take care of me. And that’s what I loved most about her. You don’t need to worry so much, sweetheart. Who do I always say Ritsu reminds me of?”

“You.”

“Ritsu will come around,” he assured me, “Just give him time. A little patience goes a long way. Ok?”

I love this man. Even if he wasn’t my father, I’d make sure he was somehow in my life, “Ok…Thanks, Daddy.”

“No problem, princess,” I could hear Daddy smile on the other end, “Go to bed, ok?”

“I will,” I promised, “I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Click.

I don’t know exactly how easy that whole sleep thing is going to be, but talking to Daddy did put my mind at ease. Just a little bit. I knew it was going to be iffy, but it’s still worth a shot. Between the nap from earlier and my current anxiety levels, they like to balance off each other. Aren’t they sweet? I just hope things with Ritsu really are good. Daddy’s right. I just need to trust him. If shit’s going down, he’ll tell me and I’ll be there. For now, I just need to focus on going to sleep.

The next morning, I woke up…alone. I still didn’t like it. After an entire summer of waking up with Ritsu, I’ve gotten used to our slumber parties. At least I’ll be able to see him this morning, though. I’ll take that win any day of the week. That way, I can close my eyes and pretend he woke up here, too. I wonder what made him go home last night. No. Rei…We are not going back down that rabbit hole. Remember what Daddy said. Trust him. If he says everything’s fine, then everything’s fine. Blindly believe that. Because if you dwell on it, you’ll end up with an ulcer and you deserve better than that. Got it? Yeah. I think so. Wonderful. 

As I got ready for school, I put all my energy into focusing on myself. On ways I can make my uniform a little less…painful, for lack of a better word (because I may or may not have totally splurged on a shit ton of enamel pins over the summer and there’s no rule in the Ouran handbook that says accessories aren’t allowed). On ways I could cute myself up even more than I already was. I got my liquid eyeliner out of my makeup bag and drew a thicker black line than usual across my eyelid. Granted, I looked like I was going through a phase, but honestly? I’m kind of feeling it. Good for you, Rei. And as usual, I could cut a bitch with the wing. Although, I was tempted to take my silver liner and add to it. No. No need. I’d rather not deal with them bitching at me today.

Setting spray. I knew I had a good one in here somewhere. One of my aunts on my mom’s side (the good one. The one I don’t want to throw against the wall.) is a photographer. And a damn good one. She told me that one of the best things I can have on hand is a good setting spray. Those lights get hot and sweat happens. Setting spray is my friend. Besides, the last thing I need is to have this shit running down my face in kendo. Granted, I know I’m going to have to fix it after kendo, but I got this shit down to a science. I should be fine.

Knock, knock.

And there’s my ride. At least I hope so. If it’s not, then someone else’s motorcycle just pulled up in front of my building. I threw my front door open and sure enough, my beloved boyfriend stood on the other side. He really should know better than to knock. He does have a key. That should wave his knocking altogether. Or he’s being cute about it. Either or.

“Hi,” I grabbed my bag off the back of the couch and threw my knife in the front pocket. 

“Hey,” Ritsu kissed the top of my head, “Ready to go?”

“Yep,” I nodded, “Let’s go.”

He didn’t seem too worse for wear. Definitely better than what he was last night. That’s for sure. But there’s still something…Off. I couldn’t put my finger on it. But there’s something not right with you, Ritsu. You’re lucky I don’t dig for shit like that. Trust him, Rei. I could hear Daddy’s voice in the back of my head. If it worked with him and Mama, then there’s a good chance it’ll work with Ritsu and me. I got this. Everything’s fine. I hope.

When we got to school, Ritsu insisted that he’d go to the coffee cart for me. I love him. I’ll keep him. But at the same time, he still was off. In homeroom, he hardly said a word. When we got to kendo, his moves were less focused and I’d take his ass to the cleaners every round. Even though he seemed so much better than he was, there’s still something…not…right. And he was like this all week! Even after school, we’d part ways there. No coming over to my place. No ramen shop. Nothing…I know I say that when things are wrong, it’s like a dog not eating, but this was literally a dog not eating. Well…I say dog. This was a Ritsu not eating. And I’m concerned.

Even after kendo on Friday, he fucked off to God knows where without walking me to the host club like he usually did. I’m worried. I know you told me not to, Daddy, and that I should trust his judgment, but I don’t like this. Still, it was Friday. I had a duty to attend to. As much as I’d rather not. I still needed to host…Hostess? I’m not a hundred percent sure what my title is here anymore. Personally, just to avoid confusion, I think I’m still a host. Regardless, the doors flew open and the lovely young ladies of Ouran Academy filled the room. Strangely enough, I was light on appointments today. It’s not often that happens, but God looked down on me and said, “Yes. This bitch needs a break. Let us allow her a bit of rest. Because we all know she’s earned it and desperately needs it.”

Thanks, God. That bitch appreciates it. Although, that led to my double edged sword. The one person I wasn’t really expecting today. But at this point, I almost should. A bright, sunshine-y lady sat across from me, over the moon to see me. I still didn’t understand why, but I also didn’t totally understand why the host club was so popular, “Hi, Rei.”

“Hi, Luka,” I remembered her name this time. But if we’re being honest here, my heart wasn’t in it today. 

“Are you ok?” Shit…I wasn’t thinking Luka knew my tells already, “You seem down.”

“Yeah,” I lied to her, throwing on that fake host club charm I’ve carefully cultivated since stepping in here on day one, “I’m fine.”

“No,” she looked me over, “There’s definitely something wrong.”

“What do you mean?” I kept up a cheery disposition, “There’s nothing wrong. Everything’s great.”

“You get a wrinkle in your forehead when you’re lying,” Luka pointed me out, “And by the looks of your hands, you’ve been picking at your skin, too. You know what would help take care of that?”

“What?” I wondered. Who the fuck is this chick? If the wrong people got a hold of her, I’d be fucked.

“You should really consider getting a manicure soon,” she suggested. Then, her eyes got all big and sparkly, “We should get one together!”

“Wait a second…” Because there’s no fucking way I’m going with a groupie, “Hey, Haruhi!”

“Yeah?” Haruhi had a tray of dirty dishes in her hands. Oh, sweetheart, you deserve better. Fortunately, I’m in a position to help a sister out.

“Are you busy tonight?” I asked, “Like…After the host club closes?”

“Nope,” she shook her head, “I’m free. What’s up?”

“I’m getting mani after the host club closes,” I told her, “You want in? I’m buying.”

“Sure,” Haruhi agreed, “Not my usual idea of fun. But who knows?”

“Awesome.” As much as I didn’t want to generalize Haruhi, I feel like she’s down for anything she doesn’t have to pay for. Within reason, “That was a good idea, Luka.”

“Maybe I could come, too,” Luka tried to wiggle her way in with us.

“I already have plans with Haruhi,” I shot her down, “Sorry. Maybe some other time.”

“Like…Tomorrow?”

“I’ll call you,” I bit the inside of my cheek, “I’m sure Kyoya’s got your phone number on file.”

“Oh,” Luka wasn’t sure what to think as I nudged her out the door, “Well…I was thinking…”

“It was nice seeing you again, Luka,” I kept up my hosting façade. Seriously, what’s with this chick? Why is she wanting to suddenly be my best friend? I don’t get it.

But what I did get was that as soon as the host club closes, my ride would be waiting for me. I didn’t have it in me to stick around and hang out with the boys. Especially since I had a date with my actual best friend. I just hope things with Ritsu are ok enough to where we can do that. Since he’s been blowing off the ramen shop lately, I don’t see why not. Besides, if Daddy wasn’t enough to give me that mental clarity I so desperately needed, Haruhi made for a hell of a kick in the ass, too.

Look at that. He remembered he had a girlfriend. That’s…actually incredibly comforting. I don’t even care what’s bothering him anymore. I just want to do anything and everything in my power to make it suck a little less. And I was about to do just that. I had an idea. An awful, wonderful idea. I grabbed a hold of my skirt and started hiking it up to the middle of my thigh. I took the sash around the middle and tied it in place. Then, I pulled my hair out of its usual half ponytail and shook it out.

“Hey,” I leaned over to Haruhi, “Watch this.”

“What are you doing?” she wondered.

“Watch,” I strutted my ass over to Ritsu, my hips swaying just the right amount, all of my attitude poured into my face. My eyes said nothing else but bedroom. A bitch was feeling herself and she was about to hit on her boyfriend. Is it like beating a dead horse? Kind of. But it keeps the fun in the relationship, “Hey there, sailor. You lost?”

“Hi, Rei.” Never…In my life…have I ever felt so denied. Ritsu barely looked my way. He knew enough that I was standing there. Getting slapped in the face would’ve been kinder, “You ready to go?”

“Actually,” I dropped the slut act, “I’m going to go hang out with Haruhi for the next hour or so. Is that ok?”

“You don’t need my permission,” he allowed, a bit taken aback, “But…Will you meet me at the ramen shop when you’re done?”

“Absolutely.” If that didn’t make my soul a little lighter. Everything really is going to be ok, isn’t it? God, I hope so, “So, I’ll see you later?”

“Absolutely,” Ritsu pulled me in for a long, deep, sorely needed kiss, “I love you, Rei.”

“I love you, too,” I watched him get on his bike and take off.

“What was I supposed to see?” Haruhi asked.

“Oh,” I brushed her off, “It fell horribly flat. Don’t ask. Come on. Let’s go.”


	10. Throwing Caution to the Wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! Welcome to day…Three? It is Wednesday, right? Yeah! Ok. So, some of you may be a little bitter with me about the whole current Rei and Ritsu situation from yesterday. But don’t you worry. Or worry. I’m not giving spoilers here. I give them down there. So, if you really want to know, they’re under this message.

The best way to live life a little on the edge? Find a nail salon without looking up reviews or even giving any others consideration. Just take the first one on the way home. Because fuck it! Why not throw caution to the wind every now and again? Especially when trying to suppress complex emotions I’m not totally sure how to handle yet. Or even what to categorize said emotions under. Works like a charm. But this place didn’t look too bad. I haven’t had a professional touch my nails since I was back home. I’m due. Thanks, Luka. Hell of an idea you had.

“Hey, Rei,” Haruhi saw through my bullshit of suppression and mildly unhealthy coping methods. Of course she did. It’s Haruhi. She kind of has a nose for that kind of thing. Sometimes I hated her for it, but sometimes I loved her for it, “Can I ask you a question without you getting angry and flying off the handle?”

And that might be the question that tips the scale toward hating her for it. Some words of wisdom? Never ask someone a prerequisite question like that. But still, I kept my cool to the best of my ability, “Of course, Haruhi. What’s up?”

“Is everything ok with you and Kasanoda?” she worried, running her finger through the rack of different colors of polish, “I mean, normally, you’re practically inseparable. In homeroom, it’s not often we don’t find you sitting in his lap, but the last few days…Is everything ok?”

I needed to vent. And she knew I needed to vent. Haruhi gave me an outlet and I loved her for it. Alright, alright. I get the irony here, “I don’t know, man. Ritsu’s been weird lately.”

“Do you know why?” she asked, choosing a color wisely. I didn’t take her for a pearlescent pastel pink type, but who am I to say no? Go off.

“No,” I still needed to pick a color myself. Normally, I’d want to go with a black, but…I don’t know. I’m not feeling it today. Instead, I settled on a deep, dark blue. That, I can get on board with, “I don’t get it. We tell each other everything. The other day, we were sitting in the ramen shop and he asked me how I knew he didn’t get me pregnant in Spain.”

“So, that’s the other thing that happened in Spain,” Haruhi assumed. Shit. I forgot I hadn’t divulged that little secret.

“Oh, yeah,” I giggled a bit, “Totally. Not the point!”

“Sorry,” she dropped it, “Hikaru and Kaoru got in my head.”

“But if we can discuss my reproductive system over ramen,” I went on, “You’d think we’d be able to talk about everything and anything. Whatever this is bothering him is being kept in a vault a thousand feet below sea level and encased in concrete. I called my dad the other night and he told me not to worry. Still…”

“And no one could blame you,” Haruhi took my side, “If you’re this worried, it just means you care. And…No offense, Rei, but your boyfriend and emotions don’t exactly work well together.”

“I know,” I agreed with her. Completely, one hundred percent, “But…I thought we were over that. He’s gotten so much better about it. Specifically with me. He knows I can’t judge because I have no room to. He knows he can tell me about…let’s call it family stuff…But yet…He’s been shifty lately. He wouldn’t tell me who was on the phone. He hardly makes eye contact with me. He’s been skipping out on trips to the ramen shop. He’s got me worried.”

“Oh,” she understood. Haruhi knew how sacred our trips to the ramen shop were. Those were a daily ritual. And the best daily ritual! That was our _one_ thing, “This is serious. Do you want me to talk to him?”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Haruhi,” I grumbled, “But if he’s this closed off with me, I doubt he’d be any different with you. I just wish he’d be a little more open. At least with me.”

“Sure,” Haruhi chuckled under her breath, “Yours is a safe in concrete. Mine is a 24-hour livestream I can’t turn off. But really, Rei. Maybe he just doesn’t want you to worry and that’s why he’s not telling you what’s going on.”

“That’s what Daddy said,” I pointed out, “And if there’s anyone similar enough to Ritsu, it’s him. He said that him and Mama would go through shit like this, too. He told me not to worry and wait it out, but…I don’t know, Haruhi. I just wish he’d tell me something. Anything. Or at least stay with me again. I miss him. I miss us. We go from spending almost every waking moment with each other for the entire summer to him totally cutting me off. This sucks. If we were to break up, it’d hurt less.”

“You’re not thinking about breaking up with him,” she gasped, “Are you?”

“No,” I rolled my eyes, “Not after what happened in the host club on Monday. I couldn’t do that. And I don’t think he could either.”

“Hold on,” Haruhi remembered, “Don’t you two have an engagement party to go to tomorrow?”

“That’s half the reason why I wanted to get my nails done today,” I admitted, “And as far as I know, we’re still going.”

“That’s a plus,” she applauded, “But maybe when you two go to the ramen shop tonight, you can talk this over. It’s not like he’s going to be able to go anywhere else. Neither will you. And where better in the most neutral and sacred space for you both in town?”

“I don’t like the thought of trapping him like that,” I shrugged, “But if that’s what I have to do, then so be it. Do what it takes to survive in the world. That was day one lessons when Daddy started teaching me how to run the family. And I’ve lived by it ever since. We really do need to talk, though. Or this thorn in our side is going to fester and kill us. I don’t know about you, but I kind of like having Ritsu around. And I don’t want him to go away.”

“Wow, Rei,” Haruhi awed, “You really are torn up about this, aren’t you?”

“Big time.”

“I wish I had more insight to offer you,” she apologized, “This would be a crisis better suited to talk over with my dad than me.”

“Maybe I should meet your dad one day,” I suggested, “I’ve heard some good things. He sounds like a good dude.”

“He is,” Haruhi smiled, “But I think he’s working tonight. Unless you feel like seeing a drag show in Shinjuku tonight.”

“Sweet that you’d offer,” I smiled back, “But tonight’s not the night. I don’t think I could give the ladies the attention they deserve.”

“That’s alright, too,” she let it go, “Another time. Maybe when he’s not working would be better anyway.”

“This sucks!” I groaned, “I’d rather the time when he found out I wasn’t a dude over again on an endless loop. That was a fucking cake walk compared to this.”

“What happened after that?” Haruhi thought back, “Was that when you took that random trip to Hakone?”

“Yeah,” I melted inside at the mere thought of that trip. Then, the lightbulb in my head could’ve causes seizures, “Haruhi, you beautiful genius.”

“What?” she gave me a look.

“That engagement party,” I explained, “It’s at seven o'clock tomorrow night. Which means, if a certain someone—me—were to go with another certain someone—Ritsu—to Hakone right now, that would put us there at about nine o'clock tonight. One of our favorite spots doesn’t close until eleven. Why fix our cycle if it’s not broken, right? I got it. I got it!”

“What do you got?” Haruhi started to sweat, “Are you feeling ok, Rei? Have we been in here long enough to where you’re catching something from the nail polish?”

“Not at all,” I got up and kissed the top of her head, “I fucking love you.”

“I…love you, too?” she had no idea what to make of me anymore, but I didn’t care. I knew how to fix this. The same way we fixed us last time. My nails were cute. My best friend may have saved my relationship. Everything is coming up roses for me! I checked out and headed out to the ramen shop. Because we weren’t going to stay there for long. I suppose I should probably call Ritsu and make sure he was there.

“Hey, Rei,” Ritsu answered, “Are you and Haruhi done?”

“Yep,” I nodded, passing a glowing rental sign. Uh-oh…Rei’s gone unleashed, “I’ll be at the ramen shop soon, ok?”

“Ok,” he chirped, “I’ll be waiting.”

“I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Click.

Bad ideas…Bad ideas are hatching in Rei’s brain. Some that are making me smile, but they may possibly get me in trouble. Worth it, though. Totally worth it. I walked into the vehicle rental service and up to the man at the front counter. He looked at me strange, “Well, hi there, little one. What can I help you with? Are you lost?”

“No,” I could feel my blood boil under my skin. I swear to all things holy, I may beat the shit out of this guy, but I digress. No. Rei, remember why we’re here. Remember why we’re here. It’s not to pick a fight with the rental guy, “I’m not lost. I’m not little. I need to rent a vehicle.”

“Oh,” the guy nodded with that same level of condescension. I really want to punch him, but I kept my hands in my pockets. Conceal the deadly weapon, “Sure. What did you have in mind? We don’t really do bicycles and scooters here, but I’ll see what we can manage.”

I slapped my driver’s license on the counter, the vein in my forehead becoming more and more pronounced, “What do you have in the line of a motorcycle?”

The guy looked over my license and immediately turned red, “I’m so sorry, Miss Mendoza. Let me check our stock and see what we have.”

“Thank you.” You’re damn right you’re fucking sorry. Prick.

The guy scurried into the back and came back just as quick, “We only have one motorcycle, but it’s a foreign model. Is that alright?”

“What model?” I asked.

“Harley Davidson,” he told me, “Would you like to see it?”

“Pull it around front,” I insisted. I grew up on Harleys. My boyfriend’s ride is a Harley. I got this.

“Yes, ma’am.”

I sat and waited on the bench outside the place for that magical sound that did things to me no man ever could. I mean, Ritsu’s come close, but…There’s something incredible about having that steel between my legs. Then, there she was. My heart stopped and I couldn’t help but swoon. And when I thought Ritsu’s bike was the most beautiful thing I’d ever see, that stunner rolled out from the alley. Although, the guy on the bike did not match the bike. However, this bitch would definitely get along with that black and purple heartbreaker famously.

“Is that the one?” I hoped.

“That’s the one,” he nodded, getting off her. Good. You don’t deserve her, “It’s a hundred thousand yen for the week.”

“Really?” Let’s see…Move the decimal over a couple spots…So, that’s a grand, US? Not bad. It made me wonder, though, “And how much for ownership?”

“Ownership?” If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I just slapped this man’s mother in front of him, “I think ownership may be a little out of your league.”

“You don’t know where my school uniform is from, do you?” I assumed.

“I didn’t know it was a school uniform,” he admitted, “Why?”

“I go to Ouran Academy,” I told him, “I got plenty of money. You don’t need to worry about that. Now, how much for ownership?”

“Four million yen.”

So, forty grand…I knew luxury cars that went for less. But I wasn’t complaining. I’m a girl that comes from her money honestly. It’s going to be a little bit of a hit to my bank account, but I think there are plenty of protection fees there to cover it. I handed the man my black card, “I’ll take it.”

“Really?” I shot him a quick glare, “Yes, Miss Mendoza. I’ll draw up the paperwork and have you out of here in twenty minutes.”

“Make it quicker,” I ordered, “I have a date tonight in Hakone and I need to get going as soon as humanly possible.”

“Yes, ma’am…” He ran inside and started working on the paperwork. All while I was damn near pissing on this to make her mine. Mother of God, you’re a pretty bike. And you’re all mine, sweetheart. I had half a mind of taking a picture and sending it to Uncle César. He’d be so jealous. But you are such a beauty…No one could blame me for wanting to show you off. The guy came back outside, “Excuse me, Miss Mendoza?”

“Yeah?” I cranked my neck back, “You need something?”

“I need your signature on these documents,” he requested, “I can’t let you leave with that bike until you sign them.”

“Fine by me,” I went back inside and scribbled my name on some pieces of paper. I didn’t care about that part. We are going to get in some trouble. And dammit, I couldn’t wait. I should probably get some leathers, too. But there’s a store down the street that’s probably got shit like that. Neat. I took my new keys off the counter, put my license and my black car back into my wallet, and headed out. I couldn’t wait to show this off. I love her so much already. I want nothing bad to ever happen to you. Now, let’s go introduce you to your big brother, yeah?

With the first rev, my heart stopped. Oh, yeah. This is going to be a dangerous thing for me to have. But totally worth it. I started heading to the ramen shop, hoping Ritsu beat me there. Lucky for me, his bike sat outside. Good. He can wait just a couple minute longer. I needed to stop at home and get something different on. My Ouran uniform could only get me so far. And riding a motorcycle in my uniform was a pain in the ass. 

Now, I had a date with my boyfriend tonight. I might as well cute myself up a little bit. My black leather shorts and my white leather jacket always worked nicely together. But if I get into an accident, I’m fucked. I don’t need that road rash on my incredible legs. Jeans? Tight ass black jeans? Tight ass black jeans, it is. I’m down. I put on a killer pair of heels and called it done. Damn, Rei…You know how to pull yourself together in little to no time, don’t you? After one last spin in the mirror, I headed back out. Let’s go see what Ritsu thinks about my new toy.

I pulled up in front of the ramen shop and revved my bike. Just a little bit. She had a big mouth on her. You take after Mama, don’t you, baby? Sure enough, Ritsu came outside, a bit confused and even a little more pissed off, “Can I help you, asshole?”

“There you go again with the asshole thing,” I took my helmet off, “Don’t you have any better nicknames for me?”

“Excuse me?” Ritsu gasped, “Very funny, Rei. Nice rental.”

“Rental,” I giggled to myself, “That’s a funny way of pronouncing impulse purchase.”

“Impulse purchase?” I thought that poor boy’s eyes were about to fall out of his head, “You mean, this is yours?”

“She’s all mine,” I melted inside, “Isn’t she pretty?”

“She’s gorgeous,” Ritsu put his hands on the handlebars, “What possessed you to buy a bike today, Rei?”

“I had a plan,” I admitted, “I have somewhere I wanted to be and the best way to get there was on this bike. So, get on yours. We got somewhere to be.”

“Where the hell are we going?” he wondered, “I don’t remember us making plans.”

“Those are the best kind of plans,” I snuck in a quick kiss before I threw my helmet back on, “Follow me, ok?”

“Ok,” Ritsu wasn’t going to argue with me. Mostly because he knew better, “You know, it’s going to be weird to not have you on my back the whole way.”

“I’ll have your back,” I smiled, “If that makes you feel any better.”

“Good enough for me,” he readjusted his helmet and the two of us left the ramen shop. I couldn’t wait to get to Hakone. I just hope Ritsu understands what he’s going to get himself into. 


	11. Hakone Fixes Everything

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! Welcome to day…Four? Usual update day! Right? I post this on Thursdays, don’t I? Yeah! Ok. So, in case you couldn’t pick it up in text, I’m on a manic caffeine high right now. We got the Hakone trip today! Yay! Hopefully, things get fixed. Hopefully, things don’t get ugly. Hopefully, we’ll be alright afterward. Ok, let’s get into it, yeah? Let’s go! x

Once we hit highways, I immediately started feeling better. The stress of whatever the hell is going on with Ritsu and me…It melted away. The wind took it away. It’s strange not feeling Ritsu’s body heat on my chest through this trip, but it was worth it. Sometimes, I needed a little time alone to get my head on straight. And it’s not like I was totally alone. I’d occasionally check my rearview mirrors just to make sure Ritsu hadn’t gotten lost or fell behind. Nope. He kept up with me all the way to Hakone. Although, I don’t think he was expecting the sudden road trip. What can I say? Hakone works.

When we pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot, I threw my helmet onto the handlebars and waited for Ritsu to pull up next to me. Damn…It’s been a while since we’ve been in Hakone. But we also haven’t been out and about much since we got home. Ritsu and I had just spent an entire summer globetrotting. We were both traveled out. No one could blame us. We needed the vacation from our vacation. And where better to go than the one place that seemed to fix our problems?

“Hey, Rei,” Ritsu looked at me strange, “Is there any particular reason why you decided to bring us out here?”

“I needed to break the bike in,” I pointed out, “But I did have ulterior motives.”

“Oh yeah?” he wondered, “And what’s that?”

“Inside,” I ushered him through the front door, “Besides, I wouldn’t want us causing a scene.”

“Is there a chance of us causing a scene?” Ritsu worried, his hand wiggling its way into mine.

“I don’t think so,” I shrugged, “But I could also be proven wrong. Stranger things have happened with us.”

“If you say so.”

The two of us got a table next to the window near the back. Perfect. Quiet. Peaceful. A hell of a view of the water. Nobody’s complaining. At least not yet, “Ritsu…”

“Hmm?” Even now, he seemed so distant. I’m starting to think I did something wrong here without realizing it. 

Might as well cut to the chase, “You’ve been weird lately.”

Things in Ritsu’s head finally started making sense, “You didn’t take me out of town for a nice bike trip to Hakone…You took me out here, so we could talk. Completely uncensored without any chance of someone hearing something they shouldn’t.”

“Yep,” I nodded. Deep down, I did feel bad for cornering him like this, but what else was I supposed to do? It’s not that I didn’t trust him. It’s that I don’t like being out of the loop. And I don’t have the patience for him to come to me on whatever the fuck is going on.

“You really want to know?” I could see it all over his face. He really did want to keep this locked up. But at the same time, he understood my stubbornness and my tenacity, so he let me have that.

“I just want you to talk to me, Ritsu,” I begged, “Please. I’m worried about you. I just want to know what’s going on.”

Ritsu knew he couldn’t fight me, so he gracefully bowed out, his eyes fixated on the floor, “If I tell you, do you promise not to hate me?”

“Baby,” I awed, “If I didn’t love you, I wouldn’t have led your ass all the way to Hakone just to hear what was weighing so heavy on your mind. I promise. A hundred percent.”

“Good,” he let out a little sigh of relief, “Where do you want me to start?”

“The other night when you were at my place,” I took his hand, doing my best to settle him down. He could hardly sit still. He doesn’t need to be like that, “Who were you on the phone with?”

“The old man,” Ritsu came clean.

“And what did he want?” I asked, “Or is that one of those things you can’t tell me? Or that I’m better off not knowing?”

“It was just some business things,” he brushed me off.

“No, it wasn’t,” I saw right through him, “You don’t have to keep me at arm’s length here, Ritsu. You know I’ve done this shit a million times over. It’s not like it’s anything I wouldn’t understand. Besides, I want us to have a clear conscience by tomorrow night.”

“Shit, that’s right,” Ritsu remembered, “We have that…fucking engagement party to go to, right?”

“Yeah,” I winced, “I’m as thrilled about it as you are.”

“Well…” he braced himself for whatever I may do, “You want to know what’s been killing me lately?”

“Yes,” I sighed out, “God, yes! That’s why we’re here! Because Hakone seems to fix our problems, no matter how major or minor they are! Please, Ritsu, tell me!”

“Alright!” Ritsu stopped me, “I’m…going out of town for a few days.”

“What?” That was a weird sucker punch to the gut I didn’t think I’d get tonight.

“Yeah,” he held my hand a little tighter, “I’m going out of town for a few days and I didn’t know how to tell you.”

“Is that really what’s been bothering you?” I ran my thumb over his.

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, “He said something about wanting to get me better prepared for when I take over the syndicate. I mean, it’ll be just for a few days, but that shit’s going to be like a fucking eternity. I don’t want to go, but if I say no, all hell breaks loose, so…This is easier. But it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, I’m keeping the peace with him, but I’m leaving you here on your own. But on the other, if I say no for the sake of making sure you’re taken care of, then, the world comes crashing down. And yes, it’s been fucking me up for a few days.”

“When are you leaving?” I asked.

“This Sunday.”

“Ritsu,” my heart melted, “I know you’re worried about me being here by myself. Especially after the incident with that bitch, but I think I’ll be ok. I can take care of myself. It’s just a couple days. And if I know you the way I think I do, you’re going to sneak out at night to call me and check in, right?”

“Well,” he smiled a little. Good. I needed to see that again, “You do know me pretty well, Rei. Yeah. If I could sneak away from him, I’d be glad to hear your voice.”

“Since we have that out of the way,” I went on, “Why haven’t you been staying with me lately? Usually, you’re good for that two, three times a week. You haven’t stayed with me since last Sunday night.”

“I know,” Ritsu winced, “But he’s been home a hell of a lot more for some ungodly reason. I don’t know why he’s picked now to have a sudden interest in me, but hey…My dad’s taken a sudden interest in me. It’s like he remembered I existed.”

“Ritsu…” I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. Worse than the one I’ve had all week, “Does he know about me?”

“No,” he shook his head, “And it’s going to stay that way. For now anyway. He doesn’t need to know about you.”

“Will he ever?” I wondered.

“Not right now,” Ritsu stood his ground, “Look, Rei, I understand that you can handle yourself. I understand that you’ve grown up in this life as much as I have. I mean, I’ve watched you kick Morinozuka-senpai’s ass. I’ve seen you beat the shit out of guys in the Narrows. Hell, you’ve kicked my ass once or twice. He’s a totally different monster. This is for the sake of your safety. I made your dad a promise that I’d bring you back home in December. I can’t go back on that. It’s either have one boss on my ass or two and your life at risk. Not happening.”

“Ok,” I let it go. I’m just glad he got that off his conscience. I knew he needed to vent. And I’m glad he got to vent. It’s like what Haruhi did for me when we were getting our nails done. She poked just enough to get me to talk. And once I did, I impulse bought a motorcycle. But totally worth it.

“Hey,” Ritsu lifted my chin up, “I love you, Rei.”

“I love you, too,” my heart skipped a beat, “You really did scare the shit out of me, Ritsu.”

“I know,” he bit the inside of his cheek, “I really am sorry for that.”

“So,” I wondered, “What should we do now?”

Ritsu thought for a moment or two before something clicked in his head, “I got an idea. And a damn good apology.”

“I’ve already forgiven you, Ritsu,” I assured him, “You don’t need to do anything else.”

“Trust me,” he insisted, “Please?”

“Ok,” I really should know better. Of course I could trust him. He knows what he’s doing. It’s going to suck ass not having Ritsu for a few days, but I think I’ll be ok. Kendo’s going to be weird. Homeroom’s not going to be the same. But I’ll be ok. Besides, I don’t think he realizes the week he comes back is the same week as the overnight trip. We can make up for lost time then. We’ll be alright. But if the host club thinks they’re going to throw another pop-up café, they’re fucking high. 

We finished at the restaurant and headed into town. As much fun as it would’ve been to run through Hakone on our bikes, we didn’t need to. It’s not like everything isn’t within walking distance. We’d be fine. Besides, the night air was always a good idea. Walking won’t kill us. Although, I bricked into Ritsu’s back out of absolute nowhere. I had to blink the stars out of my eyes.

“Ritsu, what the fuck?” I regained my bearings.

“Wait outside,” Ritsu demanded, “I’ll be in and out. No getting into any shenanigans while I’m gone. Got it? No threatening anyone with death. No tripping old people. No severing limbs on anyone.”

“Aww…” I fake pouted, “You had to take all the fun out of this, didn’t you, Ritsu?”

“I’ll be right back,” he kissed my forehead, “Promise.”

“Ok,” I let Ritsu go inside this shop and leaned up against the brick wall outside. Huh…What the hell could he possibly be doing at a jeweler at damn near ten o'clock at night? He should know that he doesn’t need to buy my affections, but I had a feeling that was going to be my apology. I suppose while I’m waiting, I could play games on my phone. However, I wasn’t expecting a text to be waiting for me. When did I get that? More importantly, when have I ever been mad about a text from Daddy? Aside from never.

_Everything ok?_

I couldn’t help but smile. 

_Everything’s fine._

_He came around._

Beep!

Daddy was sitting on his phone, wasn’t he?

_I told you so ;)_

Should’ve seen that one coming. I shook my head, rolled my eyes, and shoved my phone back into my pocket. I love that man. Speaking of men I loved, I managed to kill just enough time for Ritsu to be in and out. Just like he promised. I laid my head on his shoulder, “You know, you didn’t have to apologize with presents, Ritsu.”

“This one’s important,” Ritsu promised, taking a little black box out of the little purple bag, “I told you, Reila. Trust me.”

“I do,” I let it go, “So, what did you have to go and get for me, baby?”

“Give me your wrist.” The box didn’t look big enough for a bracelet, though, “The one you wear your charm bracelet on.”

“Ok,” I gave him my hand, “What are you doing?”

“Give me a second…” Ritsu kept his concentration while he fiddled with my bracelet. By the looks of it, someone got me a new charm, “And…There. Done.”

I picked my wrist up and looked for the new charm. Although, I wasn’t quite sure what to think of it, “A diamond ring?”

“Well…” he smiled a little, “I did unofficially propose to you Monday. I felt like an asshole for not having a ring on me. Might as well give you one now.”

I might cry. I might actually fucking cry the biggest ugly tears. Can I just keep him? Forever? Even if we don’t get married, I need to keep Ritsu in my life. He’s a special kind of special. Too late. Crying will commence, “Ritsu…This is the sweetest fucking thing you’ve ever done.”

“I did kind of majorly fuck up,” Ritsu pulled me into his arms, “I needed to find something to get me back in your good graces.”

“Would you quit kicking your own ass here?” I shoved my finger in his chest, “I get it. Yeah, I was worried. Yeah, I wish you would’ve said something sooner. But what matters is that you’re going to come back to me. Right?”

“Of course,” he held me tighter, “Tell you what. Why don’t we just crash here? There’s an inn up the road. Let’s go grab the bikes and get some sleep, ok?”

“Hold on,” I stopped him, pulling my phone from my pocket, “I need to make a quick phone call.”

“Who are you calling?” Ritsu kept an arm around me.

“Hush,” I put a finger up to his lips. Although, I wasn’t expecting him to lick it, “What the fuck, man? Are you twelve?”

“Only on a scale from one to ten in your eyes, baby.”

“Hello?” a cheery voice answered on the other end. Good to know I’m not waking him up.

“Hi, Roy,” I held myself together, “I have a question.”

“Is everything ok, Rei?” Roy went into instant panic mode. Of course he did. Because that’s what Roy does. He blows shit out of proportion. Good luck, Yumi, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” I settled him, “Where is your engagement party tomorrow night?”

“Hakone. Why?”

“You’re shitting me…”

“What?” Ritsu tried to listen in.

“I’m not,” Roy assured, “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” I kept him from going any further, “Thanks, Roy. Love you. Bye.”

Click.

“Uh, Rei…?” Ritsu looked at me strange, “Did you just tell Roy you loved him?”

“Force of habit,” I gagged, “When I get off the phone quick enough, it’s always, ok, I love you, bye. And then, I hang up on them. Have you never noticed that?”

“Ours always seem more genuine,” he pointed out, “But that might just be me. So, what’s going on with tomorrow?”

“Apparently,” I put my phone back in my pocket, “We can stay here tonight. And we’ll be here for tomorrow night. Guess where Roy’s having his engagement party?”

“Here?”

“Here,” I nodded, “Yay, right?”

“I’ll yay to that,” Ritsu held my hand, “Let’s go back and get the bikes, ok?”

“Ok.”

I just wanted to go to sleep. Sleep has been an asshole lately and I needed a good, heavy spooning from my wonderful boyfriend that’s been avoiding me like the plague. We ran back to the restaurant and got our bikes. As soon as we got to the inn, we were both on the bed, but neither one of us would be able to fall asleep as quickly as we thought we would. And little did I know, Ritsu was in a particular mood. After being away from me for so long, I can’t blame him.

“You know, Rei…” Ritsu thought, “We haven’t been to Hakone to fix a fight since I found out you weren’t a guy.”

“And that was all on you,” I reminded him, “What made you pick Hakone?”

“It’s beautiful here,” he pulled me into his chest, laying some groundwork, “And since we did just get into another fight, I suppose we could make up now…”

“We do have this room for the night,” I flirted back, kissing his cheek…and his lips…and back to his cheek…down his neck… “And it is just you and me.”

“Do we?” Ritsu writhed a little under my touch, “I suppose we could get creative on how we make up for it.”

“Well,” I gave him one last kiss, “Since you asked so nicely…”

And so, we made up. We _definitely_ made up. If this is what I have to look forward to after we’ve been fighting, we should get into fights more often. For the first time all week, I could finally relax. After the great shame we both brought to our families, but with no fucks to give, I laid my head in Ritsu’s shoulder bare shoulder and shut my eyes. And I was content with life. We needed this. We needed this so much. I’m just glad he got that out of his system. He should know better than to hide that shit from me. I’ll find out eventually.

What was it about Hakone that suddenly made us ok again? I don’t think I’ll ever understand. Then again, maybe Hakone’s mysticism wasn’t for me to understand. Maybe it’s just for me to experience. And know that it’s here when I need it most. Hakone may not put the forty grand back in my bank account that I just blew on my motorcycle, but that motorcycle got me here. And it got me back with him. So, I couldn’t complain.


	12. Too Many Roys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, friends…There’s an unfortunate truth that I need to share with you. Today is the last day. Fridays have been a huge bummer for me these last few weeks. But we’ll be ok. You’ll be ok. I’ll be ok. With last Friday, I ended a story. With next Friday, I’ll be ending a story. Then, there’s you guys situated right in the middle. I’m not ending here. Are you kidding? There’s too much shit left to do. Ritsu’s going out of town. The overnight trip is coming up. More fun and shenanigans will ensue with the host club. I can’t just end it here! So, at least until next month, let’s get into things and I’ll see you soon. Love you x

If I didn’t know any better, I’d think that I had a really nice night last night. I took a quick peek under the blankets, then down at the floor where my clothes from yesterday were spread out. Nice. It’s always a good morning when I wake up still nude from last night. Good for you, Rei. You got some last night. And lucky me, I wasn’t the only one still naked. I curled into Ritsu’s chest and shut my eyes again. Oh, yeah. I know I’ve already said it once, but dammit, I’m going to say it again. We needed last night. We needed a night of us both going all out on each other like the way we did. In the way where if we were still back in New York, we wouldn’t be able to make eye contact with Daddy this morning.

_Chu…_

“Morning, cutie,” Ritsu wrapped his arms tight around me.

“Good morning.” Hell of a way to start the morning. Waking up naked and a kiss on the head from the boyfriend. I’m not complaining.

“You know what?” he suggested, his lips finding my neck, “We should just stay here. All day. You and me. Turn our phones off. Lock the door. Close the blinds. Can we do that?”

“As much as I loved to,” I writhed under him, “We can’t. We still have an engagement party to go to tonight.”

“And we can’t blow it off?”

“We can pray for an open bar,” I crossed my fingers, “I’m not sure what kind of family Roy comes from. Or Yumi for that matter. Given that Roy’s working for Daddy, he can’t come from a whole lot.”

“Just make me a promise,” Ritsu laced his fingers between mine, “No getting sloppy tonight. Deal?”

“Fine,” I pouted, “But what if it’s not an open bar? And I end up wanting to make sure Roy’s got a black eye in his engagement pictures?”

“Tell you what,” he promised, “If it’s not an open bar, then I’ll get you a bottle of sake on the way home.”

“I love you, Ritsu,” I kissed his cheek.

“I love you, too,” Ritsu held me tighter, “I’m glad we came here, Rei. I really am.”

“We needed some time away from the kids,” I pointed out, “Just the two of us.”

“We have kids?” he looked at me strange, “I thought you said you weren’t pregnant.”

“Babies aren’t born after two months, Ritsu,” I shook my head. This is your boyfriend, Rei. You picked this one. And I’d pick him again any day of the week, “And if I were pregnant, I’d know by now. But we all know I’m not.”

“That’s right,” Ritsu immediately changed the subject, “So, now we get to deal with…”

Ring, ring.

“Son of a bitch,” I groaned, “Did you say his name three times?”

“Not that I know of.”

I reached over onto the nightstand and grabbed my phone, “What do you want, Roy?”

“Good morning, Rei!” Roy chimed on the other end. No, Rei. Don’t kill him. I know you want to, but don’t let Roy kill the moment here.

“What do you want?” I repeated while Ritsu paid his proper respects to Mars…Not the smartest thing to do while I’m on the phone with Roy, but damn, it’s appreciated. Something about being on the phone with Roy while I’m totally bare ass naked seems…I don’t know. Not right. Unholy. Unclean. Oh, well. My clothes are on the floor. If he thinks I’m getting dressed just to talk to him _on the phone_ , he’s sorely mistaken.

“I was just about to stop by your house,” Roy told me, “And I was thinking about bringing you coffee. Did you have a preference or is hot good enough for you?”

“I’m not there, Roy,” I slinked down into the bed a little more, my heel meeting Ritsu’s shin, “You can go to my place all you want, but there’s no one home.”

“Really?” Roy wondered, “You sound like you’re just waking up.”

“I am,” I shoved my fist in my eye, “But I’m at some inn in Hakone.”

“Why?”

Not that it was any of his business…I mean, I know it was on technicality, but for all intents and purposes, it was none of his business, “Ritsu and I needed to get out of town, so we decided to do an overnight trip to Hakone. Is that so terrible?”

“Not at all!” he sang. Oh, shit…I didn’t like that tone, “Can you do me a huge favor and go help my mom? She’s in Hakone, too. And I bet she’d appreciate the extra hand setting up for tonight. Please?”

“Do I have to?” I whined.

“Please, Rei,” Roy begged, “It’d mean the world to me. My mom isn’t exactly as young as she thinks she is and she worries me. It doesn’t have to be for very long.”

“Fine,” I caved. It’s sweet to hear Roy talk about his mom. It’s like listening to Ritsu talk about Kiyomi, but without the tragic backstory.

“Does that mean I’ll see you tonight, too?” Roy hoped.

“Yes,” I banged my head on Ritsu’s chest. While I had him here, “Hey, Roy, is there going to be an open bar tonight?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“No reason.” Score! A redeeming quality to this party, “Where’s your mom?”

“Well,” Roy’s end was quiet for a moment. I have a love/hate relationship with Roy being quiet, “Would you look at that? The inn you’re staying at is the same one Mama’s staying at! You know how to pick a place to lay your head, Rei.”

“Splendid.” It took a minute for reality to set in, “Wait a second. How the fuck do you know where I am?!”

“The GPS on your phone,” Roy confessed, “Your father told me that if I ever needed to find you, I could use your GPS. I’ll see you tonight, Rei!”

Click.

Daddy and I needed to have words about my personal space. And apparently, I needed to have those same words with Roy. More importantly, I needed to have some words with the gentleman I share a bed with, “Excuse me, sir…”

“Didn’t think we were into that sort of thing,” Ritsu perked up, “But I can get on board with it. Yes? You call for me?”

“Stow the ego, sweetheart,” I settled him, “But who said you could give tithes to Mars when I’m on the phone? And with fucking Roy of all people?”

“How was I supposed to know you were talking to Roy?” he pulled me back in, “So, what did he want?”

“I think I just got roped into helping his mom,” I grumbled in Ritsu’s shoulder, “Have I mentioned how much I hate everything lately?”

“Not lately,” Ritsu cradled me against his chest, “Have you even met Roy’s mom before, Rei?”

“No…” I whined, “I don’t want to go help Roy’s mom. I don’t know where he got the idea I did. But she’s downstairs and already expecting me. Can you do me a huge favor?”

“I’m not helping Roy’s mom.” Damn. Not what I wanted, but it would’ve been fucking awesome if he would’ve said he would.

“I know,” I let it go, “But can you go into town and find something for me to wear tonight?”

“Really?” Ritsu looked at me strange, “You really want me doing that for you?”

“I trust you not to fuck it up,” I insisted, “Look, Ritsu, you know me better than anyone else in Hakone. You know what I like and what I don’t. Stick to one pattern, one color, and we should be fine. But if you want to send me pictures every now and then, that’d be cool, too.”

“Oh, no,” he crawled out of bed, Meditrina sticking out like a sore thumb…amongst all the welts on his back. Oops…I wonder where all of those could have come from, “If you trust me doing this, then I’m going to do it.”

“Thank you,” I sighed out, “One less thing for me to worry about. But know that I draw the line at top hats and monocles. Unless it’s a small top hat. Like…One the size of my fist.”

“I know what you’re talking about,” Ritsu nodded, “Chances are, I’m not getting you one, but I get what you’re saying.”

Beep.

I checked my phone again. Sure enough, a text from Roy, letting me know his mother knows all about me and that she’s already expecting me, “Fuuuuuuuuck.”

“What’s wrong?” Ritsu worried, throwing his shirt on. Aww…

“She’s here,” I pushed myself out of bed.

“Wait,” he wondered, “They’re having it _here_?”

“Yep,” I stared blankly into nothingness, “I still hate everything, Ritsu.”

“Tell you what,” he sat at the edge of the bed, holding me steady, “How about you get dressed and go meet Roy’s mom and I’ll go get you some coffee?”

I rested my head on Ritsu’s shoulder, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he kissed the top of my head, “I got you, baby. You know that.”

“Thank you.” As much as I didn’t want to, I got out of bed and got dressed. Ritsu would go out unattended to do the miserable shopping I didn’t want to do (and likely wouldn’t have time to do) and I’d have to deal with Roy’s mom. I walked downstairs to the ballroom and kept my eyes peeled. Now, if I were Roy’s mom…which one would I be? I didn’t know what she looked like. I didn’t even know her name. 

“You must be Reila!” a voice squealed out.

Oh, fuck. She found me. I was kind of hoping I’d be the one to find her, but I digress. What I wasn’t banking on was a sudden bone crushing hug from this little old lady. Of course she’s a hugger. Hard to tell where Roy gets it from, “You must be Roy’s mom.”

“I’m Megumi!” she introduced herself, “Roy has told me all about you! I’m so happy to finally meet you!”

“He said you needed help this morning.” And I can see why. This chick needed to learn personal space and quickly. Yikes. If this is what his mom is like, I’m horrified to meet his dad.

“I have a couple of nieces coming along to help soon, too.” Joy. Hopefully, they’ll be a lot easier to handle than Megumi, “It’s so nice of you to help us out. We like to think of you as extended family.”

“Really?” Oh, Christ. It’s going to be a fucking day, isn’t it?

“Of course!”

“Aunt Megumi!” a leggy brunette came strolling into the room with an almost duplicate. Sorry, ladies. I only have room in my life for one set of twins and I can barely tolerate them, “We’re here!”

“Sora! Ayaka!” Megumi squeaked, throwing her arms around them, “It’s so nice to see you! When was the last time we were all together like this?”

“New Year’s?”

“It had to be New Year’s,” she figured. But then, she grabbed me and brought me over. You fucking owe me, Roy, “This is Reila.”

“Rei, actually,” I corrected her. Only a select few can get away with calling me Reila. They are not that close in the inner circle.

“This is Sora and Ayaka,” Megumi introduced them to me, “They’re Roy’s cousins. And identical twins! Sometimes, even I have a hard time telling them apart.”

“No,” Sora, I think…She looked me over closely with great intrigue, “Not _that_ Reila.”

“Yep!” Megumi squeaked, “The very same!”

“No way!” Ayaka had the same enthusiasm as her aunt. Oh, fuck…I’m going to be in a room full of Roys today, aren’t I?

“In the flesh,” I winced, preparing myself for whatever attack hug may ensue next.

Fortunately, I caught someone coming in from the corner of my eye. And never in my life have I been happier to see something different. Yet this was a sight I could never tire of, “You want some coffee, babe?”

“Yes please!” I sprinted over to Ritsu before I could get sandwiched between Ayaka and Sora. He had coffee. Fingers crossed it’s a liquid heart attack.

“Excuse me?” Megumi perked up, her eyes scanning over Ritsu, “Who is this?”

“This is…” I love Ritsu. More than anyone else in this room. But that didn’t take much. I loved him dearly and held him incredibly close to my heart. And because I loved him, I had to momentarily disown him, “My bodyguard, Ritsu. He makes sure I stay safe.”

Which wasn’t entirely lying. Daddy did tell Ritsu to make sure I was safe and to always have my back. Although, I think I might have just shattered his heart to pieces. Sora looked at me strange, “Bodyguard? I thought that’s what you had Roy for.”

“He’s B squad,” I bit the inside of my cheek, “It’s Roy’s day off, but I still have places to go.”

“Oh,” Megumi dropped it, only to pick up a massive smile on her face, “It’s nice to meet you, Ritsu. Hopefully, you’ll be staying tonight, too.”

“I’ll be here,” he glared down at me.

“Wonderful!”

“Excuse me, _boss_ ,” Ritsu snapped a bit, “Can I have a word with you?”

I had that coming. Still, Ritsu dragged me off to a secluded corner where none of the multiple Roys could hear us, “What is it?”

“What the fuck, Rei?” Ritsu whined, “We’ve been dating for damn near a year and I’m demoted to your security detail? And B SQUAD?”

“Trust me,” I settled him, “It’s for your own safety. Ritsu, I love you. And you know that I love you. Jesus Christ, I woke up naked with you this morning. I wouldn’t have done that with just anyone. But this…This is a mess I don’t want you getting involved in.”

“It can’t be that bad.”

“Ritsu,” I stared him dead in the eyes, “They’re all one Roy after another. I love you. You don’t need to suffer the way I will. I mean, I know I’ve been through my own family dinners that have been somewhat similar to this, but at least I knew all of them. They. Are. All. Roy. They’re like a hivemind worse than anything I’ve ever seen.”

Ritsu started to understand a little, “Are they worse than the host club?”

“At least the host club aren’t practically carbon copies of each other,” I slowly nodded, “Trust me. You _do not_ want this. Not for yourself.”

“Then, I don’t want it for you either,” he took my hand, “Come on. We’re leaving.”

“No,” I stopped him, “I know it’s going to suck, but I did tell Roy I’d help her out. Besides, if he owes me a favor, then I can use said favor to tell him to fuck off for a while. At least long enough for…I don’t know…maybe a certain someone and a certain other someone to take a little trip without the big guy upstairs finding out.”

“…God?”

“Not that big man upstairs,” I held my face in my hands, “Oh, que bonito, cariño. Que bonito…”

“So,” Ritsu pieced it together, “You’re thinking about international travel? Just you and me without Frankie finding out?”

“Very good,” I kissed his cheek, “I know that this little bit of suffering and hell will pay off. Don’t worry about me. You got shit to do in town for me.”

“Alright,” he let me go, “But so help me God, Rei. If they try setting you up with one of Roy’s distant relatives…”

“Not a chance,” I promised, “One Roy in my life is too many already. I’ll be fine. Let me be your security for a change. And consider this me taking the bullet for you.”

“Thank you,” Ritsu kissed my forehead, “I think. Good luck, baby. Let me know if you need anything.”

“You, too,” I didn’t want him to go, but at the same time, I didn’t need to drag him under the bus with me, either. Lucky for me, this boy brings me coffee. And I could taste espresso. God fucking bless you, Ritsu. Well…Back through the gates of Hell, yeah? I walked back to Megumi, Sora, and Ayaka and prepared myself for the hellish colonic that awaited me.

“Alright then,” Megumi started delegating, “Reila, decorations or food? Which one’s your strong suit?”

What? Roy didn’t tell you that? I calmed myself down and took another drink, “Food.”

Besides, if I’m in a kitchen, not only will I naturally be in my happy place, but I’ll likely be secluded from that mess. Unless one of them decides to join me. God, I hope not. If I’m not working with the right person, I’m an absolute bitch in a kitchen. Megumi bounced on her toes, “Fantastic! Because I’ll have Sora and Ayaka helping me with the decorating.”

“That’s fine,” I allowed, thanking every deity in the book right now, “I can handle cooking for large crowds on my own.”

“Oh, you won’t be working alone,” Megumi promised, “We couldn’t put that kind of burden on you.”

“Trust me,” I assured her, not needing any help, “I come from a big, Spanish family. I got it handled.”

“Megumi…?” Oh, she crawled right out of the bowels of an ancient temple somewhere. I had that gut instinct saying she could cast a curse on me and my entire family to where my great grandchildren would feel it. But at the same time, something felt familiar about her. I got a good vibe from this one. Less Roy? I think there’s less Roy in this one.

“Hi, Mama!” Megumi hugged her tight, “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Hi, Bachan!” Sora chimed.

“Hi, Bachan!” Ayaka waved.

“Reila,” Megumi introduced me, “This is my mother Nanako. She can help you in the kitchen.”

Nanako looked me over, incredibly distrusting, “She can cook?”

“Yes, Mama,” Megumi assured, “She…”

“Yes,” I took over. If anyone was going to tell Nanako that I could hold my own, it’ll be me, “Like a dream.”

“Alright,” Nanako brought me into the kitchen, “Let’s get to work.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I had a feeling that Nanako and I were going to get along famously. She pulled out a giant slab of pork from the freezer and looked around the kitchen for a sharp knife, “Excuse me, Nanako?”

“You can call me Nana, dear,” she insisted, “It’s alright. And there’s no need to be so formal. What is it?”

“What are we making?” I wondered.

“Katsu,” Nana smiled, “It’s been Roy’s favorite since he was considerably young. And heaven forbid if Megumi’s little angel doesn’t get what he wants.”

“Really?” I giggled, “Roy’s an only child?”

“I know my granddaughters are technically his cousins,” she found her knife. Watching her carve up this pork was nothing short of an artform, “But they’ve been like big sisters to him. She spoils him. Oh, does Megumi spoil him. But I’m happy he turned out the way he did. Although…No. I shouldn’t say that.”

“Say what?” I nudged her along.

“Well…” Nana confessed, “Roy can be…”

“A little much?” I assumed.

“A pain in the ass.” I fucking love this woman, “He means well, but much like his mother, he doesn’t understand when to stop.”

“Sister, you’re telling me,” I let out a heavy sigh of relief, “He’s been watching my back since I came to Japan and…those first few months were excruciating.”

“He does mean well, though,” Nana assured, “Can I ask you something, Rei?”

“Sure.”

“What does a little girl like you need protection for?” she wondered, “You don’t seem like you’re the daughter of a government official. You don’t come off as yakuza. In fact, I bet you can handle yourself quite well.”

“I can,” I nodded, “But my father is…rather prominent back home. Let’s just leave it at that. And sometimes, I have some bad people after me.”

“And your other guard,” Nana gave me a look, “Is he really your bodyguard? Because, as much as he seems like he’s ready to take a bullet for you, I don’t see him as just your bodyguard. I’m sure you and my grandson have a much more different relationship.”

“You’re right.” Nana strikes me as the type of person that it’s impossible to hide shit from. But I feel like she’s also a steel trap, “Ritsu’s my boyfriend. I just didn’t want to drag him into whatever mess this was going to be.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s a mess,” she grabbed a meat tenderizer and gave it to me, “I’ll cut them. You pound them thin. Ok?”

“Ok.”

“But you shouldn’t have to worry about them,” Nana went on, “Megumi is a handful, much like her son. Ayaka and Sora aren’t any better. But that’s just who they are. Why did you tell them he’s your bodyguard?”

“He is, in a way,” I admitted, getting my aggressions out, “Ritsu and I…We have a common thread that ties us together in the strangest way, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world. He gets along with my family so well and I love that they’ve taken him in.”

“And what about you? Do you get along with his family?”

That was a loaded question. She didn’t know. I hadn’t met much of Ritsu’s family. But I knew one, “Yeah. His mom adores me. And I love his mom.”

“Then,” Nana figured, “I bet your mother feels the same about him, doesn’t she?”

“I lost my mom when I was nine,” I bit my bottom lip. Again. She didn’t know, “But my father and I have had that conversation a time or two before. Mama would’ve loved him.”

“Those are still too thick,” she critiqued, her voice breaking, “Keep going.”

“Ok,” I hated that so much. Every time I tell someone about Mama…They all give me that same look. I hoped Nana would be different, “Hey, Nana…?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m ok,” I promised, “I miss the hell out of her, but I do have memories of my mother. I hold onto them with all I got. It sucks that I’ll never be able to introduce her to Ritsu on this plane of existence or that she’ll never be able to help me if I ever get married. But I have my father. I have my grandmother that I love more than life itself. But she’s all the way in Spain. I’m ok.”

“Good,” Nana put her arms around me, “Good. You seem like a sweet girl, Reila. And I’ve heard the way Roy talks about you. It’s like you’re his own.”

“Daddy might have something to say about that,” I giggled to myself, “But as big of a pain in the ass as Roy has been, he’s a hell of a friend when I need one, too.”

“Do you think you could start on a sauce for me?” she asked, “There’s a recipe taped to the upper cabinets.”

“Sure.” I looked over the recipe. It seemed relatively simple. Soy sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, mirin, garlic…Easy. And by the looks of things, it’s just dumping it all together. If I couldn’t manage that, I should be ashamed. Abuelita always said that I couldn’t fuck up a sauce. And yeah, I might have taken a little pride in that.

A little while later, this kitchen smelled _fucking incredible._ Someone’s grandma somewhere was proud of me. And in all honesty, I’m pretty sure that would be Roy’s grandma proud of me. Everything was going surprisingly well. I didn’t think this would’ve gone so smoothly this morning. Especially after meeting Megumi. She moved at a million miles a minute and I didn’t have coffee in me. But then, I got my new best friend Nana. I loved her.

As I finished making katsu sauce, I felt a pair of hands go over my eyes, “Guess who?”

I was hot, sweaty, and covered in frying grease. My caffeine buzz has gone down the drain. My feet were killing me. If this were Ritsu, I would’ve been fine. But I may need to have everything sharp and pointy taken away from me, “Roy…If you want to keep your hands, I suggest you get them off my face.”

“Alright,” Roy backed off, “But thank you for doing this, Rei. Really. I appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome,” I peeked over his shoulder to make sure we were in here alone, “No Nana?”

“I see you’ve met my grandma,” he smiled, “Isn’t she the best?”

“I do love her,” I admitted, “What the hell are you doing in here?”

“Ritsu sent me,” Roy spun me around, “I bumped into him in the lobby. He looked like he was going to keel over.”

“Pobre bebe,” I awed, “Is he upstairs?”

“Yep!”

“Good,” I handed off my stirring spoon and tossed the apron on the stray chair, “I’m going to go make sure he’s still alive and take a shower. K?”

“Don’t let me stop you,” Roy knew when to back the fuck up. One of the few things I liked about him.

I ran upstairs and down to our room. I knew my beloved boyfriend would be waiting for me on the other side, but I had a sneaky suspicion that he’s going to be in the position to throw himself into oncoming traffic. Again, mi pobre bebe. I pushed the key into the lock and opened our door, “Ritsu? Are you still alive?”

“Hardly,” Ritsu teased, stretched out on our bed, “Hey, baby.”

“Hi,” I jumped onto the empty spot next to him, “You feeling ok?”

“I’m exhausted,” he admitted, “But I think I’ll be ok by tonight.”

“Good,” I snuck in a quick kiss, “So, what did you get for me?”

“It’s hanging in the bathroom,” Ritsu pointed to the bag hanging on the towel rack. Bless this boy.

I cuddled into his ribs, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he wrapped his arms around me. Finally, an embrace that doesn’t make me want to kill someone, “How long do we have until we have to deal with this bullshit?”

“About an hour and a half,” I checked the clock.

“Alright,” Ritsu shut his eyes, “Wake me up in forty-five minutes, ok?”

“Will do.” Because Ritsu, the lucky little shit he was, took little to no time to get ready. He wasn’t as high maintenance as I was. Even I wasn’t high maintenance, but sometimes, it was fun to pretend I was. Over the last few months, I’ve gotten worse. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my makeup bag with me, but I had enough in my backpack to make myself somewhat presentable. Never say that Reila Mendoza is anything less than a boy scout.

And never say she didn’t peek at her Christmas presents when she was little either. I totally did. But that temptation was hell. It had to be something good. It was kept in a garment bag. A nondescript garment bag. That made me a little nervous, but hopefully nondescript on the outside means something wonderful on the inside. I kept my fingers crossed and hope in my heart. Come on, Ritsu. Tell me you came through for me. Just this once. If you never come through for me again, at least come through on this.

Oh…Oh, my…I opened up the bag and saw something interesting on the other side. Huh…I did not see that coming. Black pinstripes. A lacy pair of panties. Someone’s looking to get some tonight, isn’t he? I like it. I’ll take it. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think I was about to go shoot up some assholes that fucked the family from the basement of my speakeasy in the twenties. As long as it fits…When I got out of the shower, I slipped on what Ritsu had got for me and I looked myself over. Oh, yeah. If no one knew I was a mafia baby before, this definitely gave it away.

“Hey, Ritsu?” I poked my head out of the bathroom, “Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah,” he grumbled, “I’m totally awake now. What’s up?”

“Any particular reason why I look like a pimp?” I wondered, “But like…a subtle pimp?”

“You…what?”

I walked out to the main room and did a little turn in front of him, “I look like a fucking pimp.”

“Holy fuck…” Ritsu took a few blinks, “Am I still asleep?”

I gave him a little slap to the face, “Does that feel like you’re still asleep?”

“I did have a hand in this,” he confessed, “But I also might have called the Hitachiin twins for help.”

As much as I wouldn’t ever admit this to their faces, “You were right to do that.”

“You look cute, baby,” Ritsu pulled me down to the bed, “I did good?”

“Yes, you did,” I gave him a quick kiss, “So, whose idea was the lacy panties?”

A dirty, shit eating grin stretched across Ritsu’s face, “That wasn’t them.”

“You’re a little shit,” I snuggled into him, “You know that?”

“I try.” Then, his cheeks started turning red, “What? I can’t let my girlfriend have nice things now? That I happen to be able to appreciate later if I play my cards right?”

“It’s fine by me,” I settled him, “Open bar, Ritsu. Open bar.”

“Alright,” Ritsu pushed himself up, “You ready yet?”

“As ready as I’m going to be.”

“Alright then,” he took my hand, “Shall we? Through the gates of Hell? Together this time?”

I gladly accepted, “Think of it this way. Drink on someone else’s dime? Snuggle back here?”

“We have to get home tonight, Rei,” Ritsu pointed out, “I have to leave tomorrow morning.”

“Shit,” I grumbled, “That’s right…”

“Hey,” he lifted my chin, “A couple days. We’ll make up for it on the overnight trip. Got it?”

“Ok,” I smiled, “Let’s go drink on Roy’s dime. And then, fuck in the coat closet.”

“That’s my girl.”


	13. Elevators and Coat Closets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! *big hug* Oh, I missed you. I missed you so much! Hey! Straggler in the back! Get your ass in here. When I said I missed you, I meant all of you. Get in this group hug right now! I know it’s only been a couple weeks since we last saw each other, but still. I missed you. It’s good to be back. Mostly because I’ve been getting rapid fire ideas for this left and right lately and…Let’s just say I can’t wait for the next few weeks. They’re going to be wonderful. But in case you’re not binging this and your short term is a little off, how about a quick recap?
> 
> When we last left off, Rei was helping out Roy’s grandma with preparing for the engagement party downstairs while Ritsu, bless his heart, was doing his best to find what I like to call Rei’s pimp dress. Because she totally looks like a 30s gangster in my head and I love it. She’s definitely running shit. And I couldn’t be prouder. Now, how about we finally get into said party, yeah?

Finally. After all the cooking I had done today and all the dealing with Roy’s family (mostly Nana. I liked her.), I could spend the rest of the night holed up in a corner with Ritsu, watching them all interact like animals at the zoo. And the best part? I could do it with a drink in my hand that I didn’t have to pay for. It’s going to be a good night. I’m hot as hell. I got a good man on my hip. What did I have to lose? Besides, Ritsu and I needed to make the most of these next few hours…

Fortunately, when we walked downstairs and into the party, we were met at the door by none other than the man of the hour. Fan…fucking…Tastic, “Rei!”

“Hi, Roy.”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Roy could hardly hold himself together. The simplest nudge could send him spiraling.

I may regret asking this, but he left me no choice. Because if I let this fester, it’ll just get worse, “Are you ok? You seem more scatterbrained than you usually are.”

“I…” Roy pulled Ritsu and me away from everyone else and kept his voice down, “I can find Yumi anywhere. She and I got a room an hour ago and she should be down here by now. I’m starting to worry. What if something bad happened? What if she got cold feet and left?!”

“Roy, relax,” I rolled my eyes, “It’s not the end of the world. I’m sure she’s around somewhere. Did you two come down here together?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, you have nothing to worry about,” I assured him, hoping to God that was the end of it, “Yumi’s probably off with one of your various relatives, discussing wedding shit and how many babies she’s going to have afterward. Good?”

“Thanks, Rei,” Roy let out a heavy sigh of relief, “I needed that. But if you see her…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I shut him up, “I’ll tell her you’re looking for her. Now, if you don’t mind, I was told this was an open bar.”

“Rei,” Roy stopped me, “You’re not drinking tonight. You’re too young.”

“Are you fucking serious?” I glared a hole through him. He’s lucky I left my knife in the saddlebags, “I just spent the day helping your mom with all of this and you think I’m not getting a drink tonight? Oh, Roy…You’re so cute. So naïve.”

I walked right by him, completely ignoring his attempts at parenting me. Even Daddy would be ok with me having a couple tonight. He wouldn’t blame me. Although, I had no doubt in my mind that Roy told the bartender not to serve me. Prick. Although, I don’t think Roy was banking on my ace in the hole. My favorite ace in the hole.

“Hey,” Ritsu leaned over to me, “I’m going to go get us a drink. What do you want? And don’t tell me that lemonade bullshit. What do you really want?”

“Vodka sour,” I ordered, “Heavy on the lemon. Heavier on the vodka.”

“Got it,” Ritsu kissed my cheek and headed for the bar. Have I mentioned how much I love that boy? Because fuck, I love him. I took a good look around the room. Roy’s mom and his cousins did a good job with this place. The lighting wasn’t too much. It didn’t look like someone puked tulle in here. Tasteful. I can get on board with that. 

“Rei!” a voice called out to me. What I wasn’t expecting was being ambushed by any of Roy’s family.

“Hi, Sora…” I froze like a deer in the headlights, “What is it?”

“Come here!” she took my hand. Excuse me? No. No touchy, “I need you to meet someone.”

“I’ve met plenty,” I tried shaking her, but damn, girlfriend had a grip on her.

“You need to meet our cousin Sho,” Sora insisted. I didn’t like where this was going.

“I…” I stood my ground, “I can’t do that.”

“Come on, Rei,” she whined, “There’s no need to play shy now. Besides, he’s cute. He’s a sweetheart. He comes from a good family. He has a good job lined up after high school. He’s a catch!”

“I have to go to the bathroom,” I blurted out, taking off like a bullet out of a gun. I knew it! I fucking knew it. I didn’t want to admit Ritsu was right, but somewhere deep down, I knew that someone was going to try to set me up with someone. No fucking thank you. I am not marrying into Roy’s family. Especially when I show up to his engagement party with my boyfriend. That isn’t related to Roy in any way, shape, or form. Fuck. That. 

“Hey…” Speak of the devil, I nearly bumped into Ritsu on my way out the door. He had my drink in his hand, “I was just about to come and find you.”

I took the glass out of his hand and slammed it with no problem, “Keep them coming.”

“Are you alright, baby?” Ritsu worried, “What’s going on?”

“You were right,” I swallowed my pride. It goes down much better with vodka, “One of Roy’s cousins just attempted to marry me off to another one of Roy’s cousins. But if they ask, I went to the bathroom.”

“Yikes,” he threw his arms around me, “You’ll be alright. If all else fails, you got security right here.”

“The best I got,” I nuzzled my face in his chest, already feeling safer, “But seriously. I’ll be right back.”

“Ok,” Ritsu let me go. And when he did, holy hell, did that first one go straight to my head. I’ve never gotten so dizzy from vodka before. I always thought I could hold my own. I’ll be fine. Bathroom.

When I walked in, I had all anticipations of being alone. However, light sobs came from one of the stalls. And me being the sensitive fucking soul I am, I couldn’t leave her like that. Please don’t be another one of Roy’s obscure family members wanting me to marry into the family, “Uh…Are you ok?”

“Rei…?” Thank God. That wasn’t one of Roy’s obscure family members.

Instead, it just so happened to be his fiancée, “Yumi? Are you ok? What’s wrong?”

“I…” Another wave of tears came, “I don’t know…”

I threw the lock on the big bathroom door and stood near the stall, “It’s just you and me in here. You want to talk?”

“It’s nothing,” Yumi sobbed, “It’s just…I don’t know if you know this about me, Rei, but I’m an orphan. My parents died when I was young. Both of them.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” If that didn’t pull on my own heartstrings.

“I got so used to bouncing around foster homes,” she went on, “And then, I started talking to Roy in our spin class and we got so close. Never in a million years did I think it’d come to this. He was just…so kind and so gracious. His whole family is like that.”

“So I’ve noticed…” One man’s trash, I guess.

“I’m just…” Yumi opened the stall door, wiping her eyes, “I’m so happy to be marrying him…If anyone can understand what I’m going through, it’s you.”’

“What do you mean?” I looked at her strange.

“You’re kind of in the same boat,” she pointed out, “You know what it’s like to have family taken away from you. Granted, I know your father’s still alive, but he’s all the way in America. And you’re here by yourself. Only you’re not alone. You fell into a new family, too. And I’m sure they love you more than anything in the world.”

Immediately, my mind went to Ritsu. He has been my family since I moved here. Even though we didn’t have such a pretty fairytale beginning like a chance meeting at a spin class. He thought I was a guy and called me an asshole. Although, after that, my mind moved to my other found family. Also, a reluctant meeting. I mean, I fought Tamaki on my first day in the host club. Hell, I fought Mori shortly before that. I gave serious contemplation to knocking Hikaru and Kaoru’s heads together. And Roy! I wanted to choke Roy out at the airport! Yumi was right. I did find a new family. Not that I didn’t miss the old one terribly. But damn, it’s nice to have the new one, too.

“Yeah,” I held back a little smile, “I suppose I do. Hey, Roy’s worried about you. He’s been looking everywhere. He’s starting to spiral. You think you’re good enough to go set the man’s mind at ease?”

“Yeah,” Yumi pulled herself together, “Thanks, Rei…You don’t think I could trouble you for a hug, do you?”

“You know what?” Because I had become the drunk girl in the bathroom at the club. Sue me. Call me an empathetic soul, “Bring it in, bitch.”

I threw my arms around Yumi and hugged her tight. I didn’t know who needed it more; her or me. But to feel it back was kind of nice, “I can see why he likes you.”

“Who?”

“Roy,” Yumi pointed out, “He adores you, Rei. I know you’re half the reason why we got together in the first place.”

“I think I even made an off the cuff joke about the two of you getting married.”

“Yet here we are,” she giggled, “I needed that. Go on. I’m sure it’s not just Roy looking for me. Ritsu’s probably looking for you, too.”

“He knows where I am,” I flipped the lock on the bathroom door, “Yours doesn’t.”

“Fair point.”

Yumi ran off to find her fiancé and I ran off to find my boyfriend. I’m just glad that when I found him, Roy’s family wasn’t trying to marry him off, too. I get it. It’s an engagement party. People get swept up in the romance, but I’ve already found the man I love. And he happened to be sitting by himself with a brown bottle in front of him along with a highball glass. He’s kind of cute. I think I’ll take him home with me.

“Hi there,” Ritsu kicked a chair out for me. Let no one ever say chivalry is dead, “Care to join me?”

“I’d love to,” I took his lap instead. Don’t think he was expecting that, but he’s going to live with it.

“Everything ok?” he worried.

“Everything’s fine,” I promised, kissing his cheek, “I had to give Yumi a pep talk and a hug, but everything’s cool. What about you?”

“Have I ever mentioned,” Ritsu poured me a drink, “Your boyfriend has some incredibly sticky fingers when it comes to high dollar whiskey?”

“No,” I gladly took that drink, “You haven’t. What do we got?”

“This, my dear, sweet Reila,” he poured some for himself, “is seventeen-year-old Hibiki whiskey. This shit goes for about ninety thousand yen.”

“US currency?”

“Almost nine hundred US dollars.”

“Ritsu,” I took a small sip from my glass. Oh…Oh my…I mean, I was a girl that her only experience with whiskey is Gentleman’s Jack. And that’s some good shit. This…? This was a different level, “I fucking love you.”

“I told you this was the good shit,” Ritsu hid the bottle in his inside jacket pocket, “Again. Sticky fingers, baby. Sticky fingers.”

“I need to have some of that sent home,” I took another drink, “That tastes like it’s going to kick my ass later. I just hope I’ll be able to sober up in time to get the bike home.”

“You will,” Ritsu promised, “Hey…I got an idea.”

“What’s that, Ritsu?” I laid my head in his shoulder.

“I’m going to go put this in the saddlebag,” he nudged me off my lap, “And when I come back, why don’t you and I go have a dance?”

“Excuse me?” I gasped, my heart stopping, “What brought that on?”

“You’re not the only one who’s been married off to someone in Roy’s family tonight,” Ritsu grumbled, “The leggy one. Uh…Sora, I think? Maybe Ayaka? I don’t know. They look so fucking alike.”

“They’re twins, Ritsu,” I told him. And I don’t care which one it was. They both need to keep their hands off my man, “What did you say?”

“I turned them down!” he squeaked, “What else? I got a girlfriend and I need to get the rest of Roy’s family off my back, so what better way than to show off with the girl I love that taught me how to dance in the first place?”

“I’m not saying no,” I couldn’t keep the smile off my face if I wanted to. It’s not often Ritsu asks me to dance and I sure as hell wouldn’t shoot that down, “Go on. Go put that good-good in the saddlebag. I’ll be waiting.”

“I better not catch you with someone else when I come back,” Ritsu teased.

“I’ll be a good girl,” I smirked, “I promise.”

So, this was the night he came to play. Ritsu got down in my ear, making sure I was the only one who could hear him, “You better not be when I come back.”

I…Love him. The little tease walked outside and I enjoyed the view. This might be the Hibiki talking, but there is going to be a coat closet in this building that’s going to need therapy after tonight. Because I want to ride that boy off into the fucking sunset and let people three towns over know Ritsu’s name. I just hope the walls aren’t think in this place.

“Hi, Rei,” a hand went to my shoulder, making me jump six feet out of my skin.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Roy!” I caught my breath, “You can’t just fucking sneak up on me like that!”

“I’m sorry,” Roy chuckled to himself, “I didn’t mean to scare you like that.”

“You did, nonetheless,” I brought myself back down, “What? What do you want?”

“I saw you all by yourself,” he took the empty seat next to me, “I’m pretty sure you were here with someone.”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “He just went outside for a second. He’ll be back shortly.”

“Look,” Roy took my hand, “I’m sorry about my cousins. They can get a little out of hand sometimes.”

“Sora and Ayaka?” I figured, “Don’t worry about it. Not my first pair of pain in the ass twins. Probably not the last. Although, you may need to send my apologies to your cousin Sho. I got a man.”

And said man had just come back inside. Bless him. Ritsu stuck his hand out to me, “Shall we?”

“Absolutely.”

“Wait,” Roy stopped us, “You’re not leaving already, are you?”

“No,” Ritsu assured him, “I’m getting your family off our asses, if that’s alright with you.”

“Be my guest,” I allowed, superseding anything Roy was going to say.

A few other couples were on the dancefloor, too. But a slow song came on. And a good one, too. In that moment, it didn’t matter who else was here or what the occasion may have been. It didn’t even matter that come tomorrow morning, he was going to be away from me for a while. Because in this moment, it was just the two of us. This was peaceful. I don’t care what else happens for the rest of the night. Let the world burn around us. Just let us have this. For the little time we have it. I laid my head in his shoulder and all was well.

Snap!

I wouldn’t call it a mood killer, but that wasn’t exactly expected. Once I got my vision back, I realized who decided to take pictures, “Nana, what the hell?”

“What?” Nana whined, “You two were being cute. Let me have my memories, Reila.”

“Fine,” I felt a warmth in my chest. One I hadn’t felt since earlier this past summer.

“You know,” Ritsu leaned into me, “She kind of reminds me of Abuelita.”

“You, too?” I beamed, “I love Nana. She’s the only one of Roy’s relatives, including Roy, that I don’t want to strangle.”

“I can see why,” he pulled me closer, “You know what else?”

“What?”

“I believe,” Ritsu’s voice dropped an octave, sending chills through my body, “I promised you a coat closet, young lady.”

“Did you?” I shook in his arms, “You wouldn’t have happened to find one when you went outside, would you?”

“I might have,” he kissed that one little spot on my neck with the greatest discretion, “And after that, we need to head home. If I’m home after midnight, the old man’s going to have my ass on a platter.”

“Well,” I started walking away with my heels on my finger, “We better get to it.”

“That’s my girl,” Ritsu chased after me. He’s not the only one who kept a close eye on where the coat closet was. And as promised, my world got rocked. In a coat closet. At Roy’s fucking engagement party. It’s too bad Ritsu had to leave tonight. Because I’d be making a hell of a breakfast tomorrow morning for the two of us. 

“Hello…?” SHIT, “OH GOD!”

“DAMMIT, ROY!” I snapped, covering us both, “Do you fucking mind?!”

“Rei…I…”

“GET THE FUCK OUT!”

SLAM!

“You think he saw anything?” Ritsu wondered.

“I think he saw everything,” I grumbled, “Consider the mood killed. We might as well go back.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he pulled me against his bare chest, “Look on the bright side. We still got to fuck in a coat closet.”

“Yeah, we did,” I grinned, kissing his cheek, “I love you, Ritsu.”

“I love you, too,” Ritsu helped me up, “Shall we?”

“Might as well,” I threw his shirt and my jacket back on and the two of us left without a trace. And with a bottle of expensive whiskey. That wind whipped cold on my bare legs, but at this point, I didn’t give a shit. Although, jumping on a motorcycle after sex hits a whole hell of a lot different. Someone up there is looking out for me. At the same time, though, I knew what was coming. Even though tonight was absolutely wonderful (for the most part), I knew what was coming. At a few minutes shy of 11:30, Ritsu and I pulled up to my building. And I had more than just a little ache between my legs.

The quiet ride up to my penthouse took an eternity. Although, the little kisses here and there were nice. A little something to cushion the blow. Because he knew as well as I did what was coming next. We’d both rather a root canal. Ritsu pulled out his keys and opened my door. I loved when he did that. It’s like we lived together…but alas. A little early in the relationship for that, but…Maybe someday. I rode his back to my bedroom and nestled down in my bed.

“Do you really have to go?” I held his hand, not wanting to let him go.

“Yeah,” Ritsu sighed out, “I know. I don’t want to either, but…I can’t exactly say no.”

“I know,” I rolled over and opened up my nightstand drawer. There’s no fucking way I’m going to let him leave without knowing I’m protecting him in some way. I put my knife in his hand, “Take this with you.”

“Rei…”

“No,” I put my foot down, “I’m not arguing that with you, Ritsu. Just…Do it.”

“Baby,” Ritsu sat down at the edge of my bed, “This is your favorite knife. If Frankie knew you let me borrow it on a trip out of town, he’d kill you.”

“As long as you’d come back in one piece,” I assured him, “I think Daddy could look the other way for that.”

“Hey,” he kissed my forehead, “I’m going to come back in one piece.”

“You’re still taking my knife, Ritsu.”

“I will,” Ritsu put my knife in my pocket, “And when I come back home, I’m taking that bottle of Hibiki on the overnight trip and you and I are going to finish it off. Got it?”

“It’d be my pleasure,” I got one last deep, incredible kiss, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” he held me tight, “Please, Rei. Get some sleep tonight.”

“I will.”

I wish I could say I was being honest, but I knew damn well I wasn’t going to be able to sleep. For the rest of the night, I stared up at my ceiling with the worst knot in my stomach and an empty feeling in my chest. I’m trying, baby. Really, I am. I’ve taken thirty milligrams of melatonin already. I don’t think I should pop any more than that. It just needed time to kick in. Please…Keep him safe. That boy’s lucky his head’s attached some days and I love him more than anything. I just want him safe. Although, in my late night ramblings in my head, I got to thinking. I wonder if Kiyomi’s busy tomorrow.


	14. Together at Last...Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I hope you guys brought a snack. This one’s a long one…Oh, wait…I don’t think you could have the snack, could you? Wouldn’t that be cannibalism? BOOM! Advice over. Let’s go get *dolphin noise* faaaaaced. I’m a smooth little fucker, aren’t I? Also, if you got my reference, you’re eligible for an internet senior discount. K, bye.

Knock, knock.

I knew better. In a perfect world, that would be Ritsu on the other side of my door. He’d be standing there with coffee in his hand and the two of us would be going to get breakfast somewhere in town. Then, we’d be off on a great, grand adventure for the day. Unfortunately, I knew better. I pushed myself out of bed and shattered the illusion of my perfect world. If that’s not Ritsu, who the fuck is at my door at this ungodly hour? And how much did they value their lives?

However, when I opened my door (with a kitchen knife in my hand. I’m not stupid. Besides, Daddy said he’d be sending me a new one soon anyway. The kitchen knife is temporary. And my normal knife would be back in a few days.), I shouldn’t have been surprised by who I found. A tornado of flower petals flew around them. How in the hell…? I should know better than to ask, “Good morning, Rei!”

“Oh…” I tossed my knife aside, watching it stick in the coffee table. That can’t be good for the table, but my aim is getting better. I let my boys in, “It’s you guys. What have I said about dropping by unannounced?”

“What’s the matter, Rei?” Hikaru flanked my left.

“You seem down,” Kaoru flanked my right.

“It’s nothing,” I lied through my teeth, shooting a look over to Mori. Please get my mental telepathy, Mori. Please get that I’m not ok, but I’ll live, “What did you want?”

“Are you busy today?” Tamaki asked, extending a white rose to me. I’m not going to ask where he pulled that from. I don’t want to know. 

“Can’t say I am,” I told him, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

“And do you plan on staying home today?”

It’s nice that Tamaki finally understands what me not being busy meant. If I have a day where I plan on doing nothing, I’m busy, “No. I was thinking about going to see a friend.”

“But Rei…” Hikaru whined.

“It’s been ages since we’ve all been together outside the host club,” Kaoru wasn’t any better.

“We need to go play, Rei-chan!” Honey latched himself around my waist. I don’t think he knew how much I needed that.

“I just woke up, Honey,” I hugged him tight.

“Wait a minute,” Tamaki wondered, peeking down the hallway toward my bedroom, “You’re not sneaking Kasanoda out on the fire escape, are you?”

“No.” Just when I think Tamaki’s words could never gut me. I wish Ritsu was sneaking out of my apartment. That meant he stayed here last night.

“Then, let’s go!” Tamaki grabbed my arm, ready to drag my ass outside.

“HOLD ON!” I snapped, shaking him off me. Kitchen…Coffee…I needed coffee. And I sure as hell wasn’t going anywhere in my jammies.

“Rei?” Kyoya called after me.

“Yes, Kyoya?”

In his hand, Kyoya held a white paper cup with my name on it, “We already brought you coffee.”

“Oh, God fucking bless you, Kyoya Ootori,” I swooned, gladly accepting the peace offering. Mmm…That warm elixir of the gods.

“See?” Kyoya leaned over to Tamaki, “That’s how you work Rei. It’s the same thing with you and chocolate.”

“What?” Tamaki, you blissful idiot.

“Nothing,” Kyoya brushed it off.

“Tell you what,” I bargained, “How about you guys let me get rid of last night’s sins and then, we’ll think about hanging out today?”

“Good enough for us,” the twins hummed.

“Wait a minute!” Tamaki wasn’t going to let that go, “What do you mean, last night’s sins? Where were you last night, Reila?!”

“Hakone,” I rolled my eyes, sashaying my ass to my bedroom. This was the point in my day where my filter was nonexistent and I gave not a single fuck, “I had an engagement party to go to. Let’s just say there was a coat closet at an inn that is well-aware of the sinning that went on in it.”

“REILA!” I think I might have given Tamaki a heart attack. Because he’s starting to erode away…Yep. Homeboy just got Thanos snapped. 

“Vacuum’s in the hall closet, Kyoya!”

“Thank you, Rei!”

“Hold the phone!” Hikaru and Kaoru came running after me.

“What’s she talking about, Takashi?” Honey asked.

“Don’t worry about it.” Aww…That’s cute that Mori wants to keep that innocence about Honey. 

“Ok!”

“Rei,” Hikaru jumped onto my bed.

“What do you mean about that coat closet?” Kaoru followed, taking his spot as Hikaru’s little spoon.

“You know how on my first day at the host club,” I skimmed my closet for something to wear today. Since I have all intentions of seeing Kiyomi later today, I probably shouldn’t be a total hussy, “Kyoya said something about you two not being able to keep someone as a pet and you called him vanilla? But I called you kinky?”

“Yeah.”

“Ritsu and I got adventurous,” I shrugged, “We’ll call that the sins from last night. Our small act of exhibitionism.”

Hikaru’s eyes grew wide, “You mean to say that you and Kasanoda made the beast with two backs last night?”

“Yep.”

“You did a horizontal tango?” Kaoru mirrored his brother.

“Yes, we did.”

“You did things that would make your father cry?”

“Daddy already knew I wasn’t a virgin.” I’m thinking blue. I don’t know why, but blue seems to be calling me today. Blue…and gold, maybe? A little bit of gold? I could do gold.

“WHEN DID THAT HAPPEN?!”

“Sorry, boys,” I stopped them, “I have to draw a line somewhere. This is that line.”

Leather. And definitely leather. I mean, I know these boys showed up in style, so the odds of me needing to get the bike from the garage were unlikely. Still, I look damn good in a leather jacket. Black or white? Black? No. No jacket. Black leather shorts. My ass kills in them. Hikaru and Kaoru were both whining, “Come on, Rei…Tell us!”

“I already have.” They exhaust me. But bless their hearts, they’re curious. If Kyoya hadn’t brought me coffee, I have no doubt in my mind that Hikaru and Kaoru would be duct taped to my wall by now. If not pinned there by the rest of the knives in the drawer. If the gouge in my coffee table wasn’t proof enough of how much better my skills are getting, a few knives in the drywall would be cake.

I left them to stew and stir in my unmade bed while I took a quick shower. Maybe having the host club around won’t be such a bad idea. Maybe they were sent here for a reason other than to drive me nuts. With Ritsu gone, it’ll be good to get out of my head for a while. And who better to be a distraction than the lovable band of morons I’ve come to know and love as my own family. If Japan can be a home away from home, why not have a family away from family, too? And this one had a little bit of everything.

The delusional, yet overly protective dad. The exasperated mom that keeps Dad’s head on his shoulders. The protective big brothers (although, one had that cute little unassuming face). The pain in the ass little brothers. The sister that takes more after Mom than any of the rest of them. Then, there’s me, smack dab in the middle of that mess. I never said it wasn’t a dysfunctional family. Because if there’s one word that can describe the host club, it’s definitely dysfunctional. 

I quickly got dressed and looked myself over in the mirror on my bathroom door. Damn, girl. You are definitely something else again. Although, I needed something. I couldn’t put my finger on what it was, but I needed something. I opened up the top drawer in my vanity and found something I haven’t looked at since I went to see the Gazette with Ritsu. In its own special way, it warmed me inside. Is today the day where I finally embrace those itchy ass extensions? No…Not today. I’d definitely need some help putting them in and I don’t have anyone here that I’d allow that close. I did have some texturing spray under the sink, though! That could work.

A few sprays and a little shake of my hair and I was cute as shit! Good for you, Rei. Call me vain, but I took a selfie and sent it to the one person that could probably use it most. Along with a text sending my love and my slight heartache that he wasn’t here. Sue me. It’s not often I feel particularly cute. Heaven forbid I want to share a little bit of that with my boyfriend. Hopefully, that’ll get some attention later. I walked back into my bedroom and the twins hadn’t moved. 

“Well?” I did a little spin on the way to finding a pair of shoes, “Thoughts?”

“You saved all that for Kasanoda?” they groaned.

“Oh, Rei…” Hikaru put an arm around me.

“Imagine what we could do,” Kaoru put his arm around me, too.

“If we were left alone for a little while…”

“Still immune, guys,” I wiggled my way out of their weird sandwich, “That host shit doesn’t work on me.”

“I told you so,” Kyoya joined us, leaning against my doorway with Tamaki reassembled behind him.

“Wow, Rei-chan!” Honey ran past them and jumped into my bed. Only to start jumping on my bed. I’m sure my neighbors underneath me really appreciate that, “This is your bedroom? It’s super neat!”

“Mitsukuni, down,” Mori demanded. 

“So,” I wondered, “Where are we off to, boys?”

“We need to get Haruhi first,” Tamaki ordered, “Then, we’ll see from there.”

“I thought we were short one,” I was just the gentleman and didn’t say anything, “Why did you guys get me first?”

“Why not?”

“Fair,” I let that one go.

“Shall we then?” Tamaki took my hand. This felt weird. His hands were too…I don’t know. Too soft. Too gentle. Like they’ve never seen a day of manual labor.

“Hold on,” I shook him off and took Mori’s instead. It caught him by surprise a bit, but he understood. That was better. That was much better. It was like holding Ritsu’s…or Daddy’s even…That was better, “Ok. Now, we can go.”

“Why does Mori-senpai get to hold hands with you?” Tamaki pouted.

“Because,” I explained, “It’s very simple. When I don’t have Ritsu around, the next best to have around is Mori. Look, Tamaki, you’re a sweetheart, but you also have a spine similar to a wet noodle. And we’re on our way to get your girlfriend anyway.”

“Girlfriend?” Hikaru and Kaoru perked up.

“She’s not…” Tamaki tried to defend himself, but I have a feeling I just dropkicked a hornet’s nest. Oh, well. It wasn’t in my direction. It’s not my problem. Although, it might have stirred shit up for Haruhi later. Cross that bridge.

As Hikaru and Kaoru pestered Tamaki on the way into the elevator, Mori pulled me back, “We’ll get the next one.”

“Ok…” I wasn’t going to stop him. Besides, I hated crowded elevators. When the elevator closed, Mori pulled me into his arms. Not that I was complaining, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t catch me off guard, “What’s this all about?”

“He’s out of town, isn’t he?” A man of few words, Takashi Morinozuka. And when he does open his mouth…Tamaki’s words weren’t as gutting anymore.

“Yeah,” I fell into his embrace, “He said it was business for his dad. I just hope he comes home in one piece…and that he comes back the same person. I had to say goodbye to him last night after one of the most incredible…”

“Rei…” he cut me off.

“Alright,” I stopped, “I get it. Someone’s a prude. He said he’d be back in time for the overnight trip this weekend.”

“Will you be ok until then?”

“I should be,” I shrugged, “But who knows? One day at a time, right?”

“That’s right,” Mori wouldn’t let me go the entire way down. 

But it made me curious, “Hey, Mori?”

“Hmm?”

“Ritsu didn’t say something to you,” I wondered, “Did he? About making sure I don’t do anything stupid while he’s gone?”

“No,” Mori shook his head.

“Ok,” I didn’t expect Mori to lie to me. And I believed him. I didn’t believe Ritsu didn’t leave someone behind to keep watch, but maybe he’s starting to trust my abilities. Neat. Damn near been a thing for a year now, but it’s nice that he’s finally trusting me.

We met the rest of the Scooby gang downstairs and, as I predicted, a limo sat out front. Gee…I wonder which one this limo belongs to. It’s not like I was going to ask. I didn’t need to know. Just curiosity getting the better of me. I digress. The seven of us left my building and headed a few blocks down to Haruhi’s. I mean, it was totally within walking distance, but heaven forbid these boys aren’t being extra. Again, they were sweet enough to get me out of my head for the day without even realizing it. I’m not going to complain.

Then, it dawned on me. I had never been to Haruhi’s before. The one time we managed to bump into each other in town, we parted ways at the supermarket. This was really her building? It’s not like it was rundown or anything. It’s just…I’ve seen apartment buildings in New York that were nicer than this in shittier neighborhoods. One would think that Tamaki wouldn’t let his girlfriend live in such squalor. Unless Haruhi had specifically told him not to interfere in her family finances. That wouldn’t surprise me either. And of course, being the leading representative of the host club, Tamaki gently knocked on the door.

Although, on the other side was a half asleep and incredibly disheveled creature. And a grumbly voice came from that creature, “What are you guys doing here so early?”

“Eep!” Tamaki backed off, using Kyoya as a human shield.

“It’s really not that early,” Kyoya peeled the strip of lashes off his cheek, “Long night at work again, Ranka?”

“You have no idea,” he took his lashes back, “Things got a little out of hand. It’s not often I have to be muscle, too.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” In all the time I’ve known Kyoya Ootori, I’ve never seen him so…human. Who would’ve thought the actual robot would have emotions? Color me surprised, “Is Haruhi awake yet?”

“I’m not sure.” But then, his eyes fell on me, “Hello…Who is this? You’re new.”

In that moment, all the other pieces fell into place. I knew exactly who this was. I’ve only heard of him in the legends, but when I do hear of him…I’m so glad things are finally falling into place today, “You must be Ranka…”

“I am,” he nodded, looking me over carefully. I know someone’s had to have told him about me, “And you must be Reila.”

“That’s me,” I smiled, “It is an absolute pleasure.”

“Really?” Ranka looked at me strange, “That’s not the normal reaction I get when I meet Haruhi’s friends.”

“We wouldn’t exactly call Rei normal,” Hikaru and Kaoru chimed in.

“Hikaru…Kaoru,” I cranked my neck back with the biggest smile on my face, “Would you two like to disappear?”

“No, ma’am.”

It’s so cute when these two think I’m actually going to kill them. I mean, it’s not like I couldn’t make them disappear without a trace, but I wouldn’t do that. Too much effort. Honey latched himself onto my leg, “Still, though. Rei-chan is a special kind of special!”

“Thank you, Honey,” I melted inside. He had that effect on me. Look at the little peanut and try not to fall in love. It’s impossible.

“Dad…?” Haruhi came stumbling out in her pajamas in the same state as her father, “Is everything ok? Is someone breaking in?”

“No, sweetheart,” Ranka assured her, “Your friends are here.”

“It’d be better if someone was breaking in,” Haruhi groaned, walking up to Tamaki. Specifically to Tamaki.

“Good morning, my…”

THUMP.

“I thought I said not before 10AM,” Haruhi snarled at him only to turn around and go back to her bedroom. I love her. If I didn’t before, I loved her now.

“You know, Reila,” Ranka sat at the kitchen table, “I’ve heard quite a bit about you.”

“I’m sure you have,” I knew what this dynamic was all about. If Haruhi and Ranka were anything like Daddy and me, I have no doubt in my mind that they were close. 

“And…” he pulled me closer to him, keeping his voice down. He took advantage of the boys planning how they were going to get Haruhi out of the house, “I’ve heard you’ve taken care of Haruhi before.”

“Of course,” I nodded, “She’s one of my best friends. I’m not just going to leave her out in the wind.”

“No,” Ranka clarified, “You’ve _taken care of_ Haruhi.”

“Yeah,” I remembered now. I knew exactly what he was talking about. I kept food in their bellies for another day because Haruhi came up short, “I know. I stand by what I said.”

“Thank you.” I have a feeling that Ranka and I are going to become best pals. 

“Don’t worry about it,” I brushed him off, “Blame Daddy’s wisdom in my head. He always told me to live below my means and take care of everyone else with what’s left.”

“Your father’s a wise man,” Ranka approved, “And not just because we’ve happened to benefit from it.”

“Rei…?” Tamaki approached me gently, “Do you think you could go get Haruhi for us?”

“Seriously?” I giggled, “After all that deliberating and with Kyoya on your side, _that’s_ what you guys came up with?”

“Pretty much,” Hikaru confirmed.

“You’re kind of our ace in the hole, Rei,” Kaoru added.

“Queen, boys,” I showed off my thumb, “Queen. Daddy’s the ace. I’m the queen.”

“Haruhi never said anything about you having tattoos, Rei,” Ranka pointed out, looking over the little one on my hand. He’d probably shit himself if he saw the one on my back.

“Just this one,” I kept Mars a secret for now, “But why do I have to be the one to get Haruhi?”

“She won’t bite you,” Tamaki nudged me forward, “Go on, Rei! Good luck!”

Looks like I have to get Haruhi. Not that I’m complaining. If it meant hanging out with my best friend today, waking her up should be cake. I tiptoed into her bedroom and sure enough, she was out like a light again. Aww…Haruhi…You’re adorable when you’re asleep. No wonder Tamaki’s in love with you. I got down to her bedside and put a hand on her back, “Haruhi…Wake up…Your friends love you and want you to come out and play…”

“Mmm…” Haruhi rolled over, still asleep, “Give me a few more minutes, Mom. Please.”

Wow…That hit me weird. Why did that hit me weird? I was far from Haruhi’s mom, but…It made me wonder what was going on in her head right now, “I’m not your mom, Haruhi…”

That was enough to wake her up. Haruhi’s eyes opened up and blinked a couple times at me, “Oh…Sorry, Rei. You just…Nothing. Never mind.”

“Don’t worry about it,” I got up from her bed, hoping she’d do the same, but to no avail. I couldn’t blame her. Instead, I decided to help push this along and went through her closet, “Come on, Haruhi. If I have to deal with them today, so do you. Don’t make me do this on my own.”

“No,” she buried herself in her blankets. This smelled familiar, “Just get Kasanoda to fill in for me.”

“I…” my heart shattered, “Trust me…I wish I could.”

“Wait,” Haruhi’s mothering instincts kicked in. She got out of bed and made sure her door was shut, “Rei? Is everything ok?”

“I found out why he’s been so distant,” I needed to vent anyway. And if there’s one thing Haruhi is good for, “He’s going out of town for his dad. And…I’m fucking horrified. God only knows what he’s going to be like when he comes back. I’ve heard horror stories about his dad, Haruhi. It wasn’t like when he was running jobs for my dad. He’s…A lot worse. Granted, when Ritsu would be doing a job for Daddy, he’d be with me and I’d be able to keep an eye on him. It’s just…I’m worried about him.”

“He’ll be ok,” she swore, “If Kasanoda can work for your dad, I’m sure he can do whatever his own has for him. He’ll come back in one piece and the same old Kasanoda you know and love.”

  
“God, I hope so,” I pulled a cute pair of shorts and an even cuter, ruffled tank top out of Haruhi’s closet. Huh…I never expected to find gems like this in here, “Go. There’s no telling what the boys have planned and I still need to see Kiyomi before I go home today.”

“Who’s Kiyomi?” Haruhi took the handful of clothes I had for her and started heading for the bathroom.

“Uh…” I bit my lip, “Can you keep a secret?”

“I can,” she went up to her bedroom door and a dogpile of listening ears fell to the floor, “But they can’t…You guys are hopeless. You know that?”

“They’re hopeless,” I agreed, “But you have to admit they’re cute.”

“Yeah,” Haruhi nodded, “But in small doses.”

“Agreed,” I pointed toward the door, “All of you. Outside.”

“But Rei…” Tamaki spoke weakly.

“OUTSIDE!” I ordered. Don’t ever say I don’t know how to work these guys. It’s not much different than some of the guys back home. 

“Yes, ma’am.” And just like that, they all scurried out the front door. I’ll call that my accomplishment for the day.

“Wow, Rei,” Ranka praised, “Nicely handled.”

“Thank you,” I beamed, patting myself on the back, “Part of that comes from fear that I can kill a man.”

“Really?” he chuckled under his breath, writing me off. 

“Have you, Rei?” Haruhi walked across the hall to the bathroom.

“Have I killed someone?” I thought back, “No. That’s Daddy’s job. He doesn’t like when I get my hands too dirty.”

“Wait,” Ranka perked up, “What do you mean?”

“Sorry,” I winced, “Probably should’ve prefaced that with me being a mafia baby back home. But we’ve never taken anyone out that doesn’t deserve it. We don’t kill in cold blood. We have a moral code. Unlike some of the other families in the area…”

“YOU WERE SERIOUS?!” he freaked.

“Yeah.” And there’s the reaction I was looking for, “As far as I know, Daddy has only personally killed one person. But the cops could look the other way for that. The asshole would’ve gotten a death sentence anyway. This way, they didn’t have to go through the paperwork.”

“Is this what my daughter hangs around?” Ranka worried, “The daughter of a murderer?”

“She’s ok, Dad,” Haruhi assured. 

Although, I’d be lying if I said calling Daddy a murderer for what he did didn’t push a button in me, “The man he killed was the piece of shit that killed my mother. He had every fucking right to end that prick.”

“Oh…” Ranka backed off, “I’m…I’m sorry, Rei. I didn’t…I didn’t even think…”

“No,” I let out a heavy sigh, “You didn’t know. How were you supposed to know?”

“So, secret,” Haruhi changed the subject before shit got ugly, “Who’s Kiyomi?”

“She’s Ritsu’s mom,” I smiled. Thanks, Haruhi. I needed that, “They were estranged for a while because of his dad, but I was there when they rekindled their relationship. Kind of. I remember coming home the night he got the call from her. Oh, god…He was a wreck. But in a good way. No one really knows about them having a relationship again, so…This needs to be kept a secret. It’s life and death.”

“Not a word,” she promised, “But it’s nice you have a relationship with her, too.”

“Kiyomi’s a sweetheart,” I melted inside, “She really is a peach. I know that deep down in my heart of hearts, no one will ever replace Mama, but Kiyomi makes a strong case for herself. I don’t know what she’d be doing with someone like Ritsu’s dad. But I have all intentions of checking up on her later today.”

“And which one is Ritsu?” Ranka wondered.

“Kasanoda,” Haruhi told him, “He’s not nearly as bad as you think.”

“Kasanoda?” Ranka squeaked, “First, I find out you’re best friends with mafia and now, I find out you’re hanging around one of the most powerful yakuza families in the country, too?! Haruhi, I knew I should’ve homeschooled you.”

“Don’t worry, Ranka,” I settled him, “Ritsu doesn’t even want anything to do with the family business. If he had his way, he would’ve have gone with his dad. He’d be back home with me and we would’ve stayed another night in Hakone.”

“How’d Hakone go?” Haruhi asked, closing the bathroom door.

“I told the guys about it this morning,” I giggled to myself, “Needless to say, it rendered Tamaki into dust.”

“So, well?”

“Yep.”

“That’s good to hear,” Haruhi came out of the bathroom, fully dressed in what I picked out for her. She pulled it off well, “I noticed you got a new charm on your bracelet.”

“I just hope the others aren’t looking that close,” I felt my heart skip a beat while I played with my new charm.

“It’s a pretty bracelet, Rei,” Ranka noticed.

“It was a present from Ritsu,” I told him, “Every charm is a different milestone in our relationship. Or some kind of memory. There’s sentimentality on all the charms.”

“And what’s the diamond ring mean?”

“The host club was getting a little antsy one day,” I explained, “And they were pushing for commitment, so Ritsu asked me if he could ask me to marry him ten years in the future. After our last fight, he got this one for me to make up for it.”

“That’s so sweet,” Ranka gushed.

“Not such big, bad yakuza now, is he?” I argued.

“I don’t think he could be around you,” Haruhi teased, “You keep him grounded.”

“I do my best,” I finished off my coffee, “And now, my dear Haruhi, we should get back to our beloved morons before they hurt themselves.”

“Good idea,” she threw her bag over her shoulder, “I should be back before you go to work, Dad.”

“Be careful, sweetheart,” Ranka threw his arms around Haruhi like she was about to float away. It’s so cute to see those two. It made me miss Daddy all the more, “It was nice meeting you, Rei.”

“You, too, Ranka,” I could forgive the slight mishap we had. I already loved Ranka before we stepped foot in Haruhi’s apartment this morning. 

When we got outside, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Tamaki were sitting on the steps like they just got dumped. Honey was nearly asleep on Mori’s shoulders. Kyoya leaned against the door, idly scrolling through his phone. Aww…They missed us. As soon as we stepped out the door, Tamaki hopped up to his feet, hugging Haruhi just a little too tight, “Haruhi! I missed you!”

“I’M STILL WATCHING YOU, SUOH!” Ranka shouted through the window. Immediately, Haruhi was liberated from Tamaki’s arms. I love him.

“So, Senpai,” Haruhi asked, shooing her dad away, “You never said what we were doing today.”

“Yeah,” I added, “You showed up on my front doorstep this morning, expecting me to be raring to go, too. You can’t tell me you didn’t have something planned.”

“I’m glad you asked!” Tamaki sang, “Because it is our first family trip since we all got back together. Let’s go to Tokyo Disney!”

“Seriously?” Haruhi gave him a look.

“Seriously?!” I squealed. Theme parks were a guilty pleasure, ok? I’m human. I’m allowed to have some of those.

“Do you two have anything better to do today?” Kyoya asked.

“Nope!” I grabbed Haruhi’s arm, “Let’s go!”


	15. Often Underestimated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys may need to get a snack. This one’s kind of a long one. But that’s getting to be kind of the norm. But anyway…Also, a side note, if someone wants to make a certain something in this chapter exist, I would NOT complain. :3

In the last year I’ve been friends…mutual acquaintances…with the host club, I never ever thought we’d end up at Tokyo Disney together. Not that I’m complaining. I went to Disney World once when I was younger. Mama, Daddy, and me. I couldn’t have been much older than five. And I could still remember it to this day. It’s a shame that a few years later, I’d lose Mama and end up the street tough little bitch before the world today. But it’s nice to be in a Disney park after all these years. Where better to get me out of my head? Thank you, Tamaki. You don’t know why I’m thanking you and you may never understand, but from the bottom of my heart, I do appreciate this.

“So,” Honey held onto Mori’s hand for dear life. Since he’s so little in such a big place, we wouldn’t want to lose him, “What should we do first?”

“We have an idea,” Hikaru and Kaoru grinned like a pair of Cheshire cat.

“What’s that, boys?” I wondered. We did need a jumping off point. In a place like this, if we didn’t have a game plan, there’s no fucking way we’d be able to do it all in a day. 

“Haruhi,” Hikaru took her left side, “You know what you should do?”

“Always carry mace?” Haruhi took a healthy step back.

“You should go on a roller coaster with us,” Kaoru suggested.

“That sounds like fun,” Hikaru approved.

“No, thank you,” Haruhi went pale.

“What’s the matter?” Kaoru awed.

“You’re not scared,” Hikaru prodded, “Are you?”

“Both of you,” Tamaki stepped in, pulling Haruhi into his arms, “That’s enough. If she says no, then it means no.”

“That’s kind of rich coming from you, boss.”

“I’ll do it,” I stepped up, keeping Haruhi safe. She’s taken a bullet for me before. Might as well repay the favor.

“Really?” the twins started circling me.

“I don’t know, Rei,” Hikaru teased.

“They’re really fast,” Kaoru added.

“And they’re really high.”

“I’ll be ok…” I saw what these two were trying to do. They were trying to scare the shit out of Haruhi. And now, they’re trying to do the same with me. Let’s get a little vengeance, shall we? For Haruhi’s sake. I started playing up my special set of hosting skills. Show them what they want to see, “I think. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a roller coaster. They won’t go…too fast…right?”

“I’m sure it’ll be ok,” Hikaru threw an arm around me.

“Yeah,” Kaoru nudged me toward the Space Mountain line. Oh, hell yeah! Even when I was little, I loved Space Mountain. It was then I learned I was such an adrenaline junkie. The faster something could go, the better. I wanted it to go even faster beyond its natural limits. Hell, half the reason I fell in love with Ritsu was his motorcycle. Speed will never scare me, “You’ll be ok. We’ll be there for you.”

“Rei…” Mori stepped in, checking me over. He really was here to keep an eye on me. Mori shot me a quick look, silently asking me if I was ok. I gave him a little smile. And that’s all it took. It’s nice that he cares, though.

“What was that all about, Mori-senpai?” Hikaru asked.

“It’s nothing,” I brushed him off, “Didn’t you say you were taking me on a roller coaster?”

“We’ll be waiting at the bottom,” Kyoya told us, “Meet up in the gift shop. The last thing we need is you three wandering off.”

“Ok,” I could take care of myself and I knew damn well Hikaru and Kaoru would need a babysitter. There’s no fucking way I’m doing that today. No, sir. I got a life to live.

All the while we were waiting in line, I kept playing up that fine line between scared and fake excited. I saw it all over their faces. The twins fell for it hook, line, and sinker. They were eating this shit up and out of the palm of my hand. In all honesty, I couldn’t wait to get strapped in. There was something…I don’t know…Strangely erotic about it. Not in the kinky, bondage way, but in the speed of it. The vibrations of the metal, the wind blowing my hair back, the screams…It just got to me. Will I ever understand it? Likely no, but I digress.

Then, the time came. The lovely gentleman running the ride strapped us in. And I could hardly contain myself. Every climb, every loop, every slope, I just wanted it to go faster and faster. My heart was about to explode, but I didn’t care. The adrenaline rush was what got me high in life and I loved it. I’m going to need a copy of our reaction shot at the end. I have a feeling that shit’s going to not only go on my fridge, but be my damn Christmas card. 

By the time we got off the ride, my legs felt like jelly. Holy shit…If that didn’t bring me back to this past summer in Spain. I miss Ritsu, but this was a damn close feeling. I hopped off and followed Hikaru and Kaoru toward the exit, “Wow! That was fun! We should go again!”

“No!” they both stopped me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they were a little shaken up. Aww…And they were worried about me.

“It’s fine,” Hikaru settled down.

“We wouldn’t want to make you sick,” Kaoru played it off, too. But I knew better. Those snapshots didn’t lie.

There we were. Our faces showed up on the monitor. Hikaru and Kaoru were holding hands while I was beaming and flipping off the camera. Oh, yeah. That one is definitely a keeper. I looked over at the twins with a smirk on my face, “What was that you were saying?”

“Uh…” Aww…They’re even cuter when they get caught in a lie.

“That one is definitely making the fridge,” I got up to the counter, “Excuse me, can I get three copies of that please?”

“That one’s making the host club calendar,” Kyoya came up behind us, “Weren’t you two more concerned about Rei being the one scared?”

I caught a little grin on Kyoya’s face out of the corner of my eye. He was getting just as big of a sadistic kick out of this as I was. Alright, Kyoya. We’re good. For the rest of the day, the seven of us went on ride after ride together (with the exception of the roller coasters. I wonder what had Hikaru and Kaoru not wanting to go on the roller coasters anymore. They were so for it when we walked in.), ate our weight in churros, (they’re good, but they’re not Abuelita’s churros good.), and had a genuine good time. I needed to get out of my head. I prayed to get out of my head for a while and dammit, if the pretty little cross around my neck didn’t work. But as the day started winding down, Honey was already tuckered out and sleeping on Mori’s back. That was our sign that it was time to go home. 

“Well, gentlemen,” we pulled up in front of my building, “It’s been an absolute pleasure. And Tamaki?”

“Yes, Rei?” Tamaki perked up, “What is it?”

I kissed his cheek, “Thank you. For coming to get me today. I needed this.”

“Uh…” his hand went up to his face, “Yeah…Sure…No problem.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me,” I got out of the car, “I got a date. See you guys tomorrow.”

“Bye, Rei!” the twins waved. Why did I have a feeling they were being sweet to get my copies of our beautiful picture? Nope. Not happening.

“Bye, Rei,” Haruhi followed suit for less nefarious reasons.  
  


“Bye…Rei-chan…” Honey kind of woke up. Just long enough to say goodbye.

“Bye, sweetie,” I kissed his forehead, “Don’t wake up on my account, ok?”

“Ok…” And back to sleep he went. Oh, Honey…You can even make my hardened heart soft as hell.

I walked back into my building and up to my penthouse. I wouldn’t be here long. I just had to get my bike keys. Hopefully, Kiyomi won’t have a problem either riding bitch or walking. I did one more check of myself in the mirror and put my beautiful Christmas card photo on my fridge. Beautiful. Absolutely perfect. Something about Hikaru and Kaoru holding hands in tears and me flipping off the camera feels weirdly good. That sadistic part of my heart is full. We good? I think we’re good. 

I hopped on the back of my bike and reveled in the feeling of zipping through the streets of Tokyo. This feels nice. This feels like home. But more importantly, I had to go find a cozy little apartment in Shibuya. When I pulled up in front of Kiyomi’s building, I scrolled through my contacts and looked for her number. It would be kind of rude to show up on her front door unannounced. I get pissy at the host club doing shit like that to me.

“Hi, Rei,” Kiyomi answered, her sweet little voice warming me to my core, “What’s up? Is everything ok?”

“Everything’s fine,” I promised, “Are you busy tonight?”

“No,” she told me, “Not that I know of anyway. Why?”

“I was about to go get dinner,” I suggested, “And I wanted to know if you maybe wanted to come with me.”

“Sure!” Kiyomi chirped, “I should be ready in a few minutes. Where are you right now?”

“Do you hear a motorcycle outside your building?”

“Yeah…”

“That’s where I am,” I smiled, losing myself in the purr of the little hellcat under me.

“I’ll be down in a minute!”

“Take your time.”

Click.

I love Kiyomi. I love her so much. She’s too sweet for her own good. Hard to believe someone like her got tangled up in yakuza. And not just yakuza, but major yakuza. But to each their own. I’m sure a lot of people said the same thing about Mama when she met Daddy. But I don’t know if Daddy got involved with the old man yet. He might have. I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but Daddy wouldn’t hesitate to talk him up.

“Hi, Rei!” Kiyomi bounced out from her building’s front door and threw her leg over the back of my bike. Huh. I guess that answers that question, “So, where were you thinking?”

“I don’t know,” I shrugged, “Anything tickling your fancy? Nothing’s off the table.”

“You know what sounds really good?” she thought, “Hot pot…Hot pot always sounds good.”

“Do you know a good hot pot place?” I asked.

“Switch me places,” Kiyomi tapped on my shoulder, “I’m driving.”

“Oh, no, no, no,” I shook my head, “Don’t get me wrong, Kiyomi. I trust you with most things. With my brand new bike? No, ma’am. Not happening. You can be my GPS. You’re not driving.”

She let out a little giggle, “You sound like Ritsu.”

“We do spend a shit load of time together,” I pointed out, “It was only inevitable.”

I pulled away from Kiyomi’s building and followed her directions to the letter. I don’t know if I’ve ever been to a hot pot place since I’ve lived in Japan. Maybe with the host club? No. I don’t think even then. Well, first time for everything. I’m not complaining. I needed somewhere I could stuff my face. Even though I had an easy dozen churros while we were walking around Tokyo Disney today, that could only get a girl so far. Once we got there, I parked the bike and the two of us got a table.

“You know, Rei,” Kiyomi awed, “It was sweet of you to think of me.”

“Of course,” I melted inside, “We never get to hang out. It’s a shame.”

“We should do this more often,” she agreed, “But if you don’t mind me asking, since you two seem like you’re attached at the hip, why did you ask me out instead of Ritsu?”

“Trust me,” I let out a heavy sigh, “Nothing against you personally, but I wish I could.”

“Rei…?” Kiyomi took my hand, “Is everything ok?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “It’s just…He’s…Out of town.”

“Oh,” she understood, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I keep forgetting he’s supposed to head the family one day. It’s such a shame.”

“You know he doesn’t want to,” I hoped, “Right?”

“I might have been away from him for a while,” Kiyomi had a melancholic smile on her face, “But I do know my own son. I remember the day I left like it was yesterday. Well…I say left. I’m sure that’s the bullshit line that got fed to Ritsu for years. I didn’t leave. I was forced out.”

“What?” a sudden ache radiated in my chest.

“Yeah,” she went on, “Ryoichi made it very clear. Either I swear undying loyalty to the Kasanoda family or I live a life totally free of that. And with that meant leaving Ritsu behind, too. I begged him to walk away. I knew we could’ve lived a better life. One away from the yakuza scene. One where we’d be safe and everything would be ok. One that would be so much better for Ritsu in the long run. But he got hooked on that kind of power. Once he got a taste for it, he wanted nothing else. That’s what scares me about Ritsu so much. I’m terrified that once he gets that same taste, he’ll turn into his father and he’s so much better than that.”

The cracks in Kiyomi’s voice broke my heart. The shake in her grasp only made things worse. This woman was an earthquake waiting to happen. And I’ll be damned if I let her go on that way, “No. I’m not sure if this is really my place to say anything, but he wants out so bad, Kiyomi. If he had his way, he’d get out of the family…and slide his way into mine.”

“He’s told you this?” she gave me a strange look. Kiyomi knew I had mafia blood in my veins. It’s not exactly her favorite part of me, no matter how much it’s explained to her.

“Yeah,” I went on, “He’s had the taste of power before and it didn’t agree with him. This past summer when we were in New York and he would occasionally work jobs for my dad, he told me he’d rather do that than work the family. Trust me. What my family does keeps everyone safe. For the most part. Sometimes, we need to clean up some messes, but other than that, he was mostly my backup. If I had to beat the hell out of someone, Ritsu was usually the intimidator and I was the executioner. It was good fun for a while…In that sort of sadistic way. He really doesn’t have it in him to be the fighter. Although, he has his moments where he’s incredibly scrappy.”

“That’s Ritsu in a nutshell,” Kiyomi chuckled to herself, “Even before his father started training him. Rei…Can I tell you something without you taking it the wrong way?”

“Anything.” Not so sure on how true that was, but if Kiyomi needed to vent, who was I to stop her?

“You may have been the best and worst thing to ever happen to him,” she confessed, “I don’t like that he’s involved in yakuza dealings. I’m not too keen on him being involved in your family’s side of things. But I’m glad you’re together. You’re good for him in the worst ways and bad for him in the best ways. If that makes any sense.”

“I think so,” I love her. Have I mentioned how much I adore her? Because Kiyomi is wonderful and I love her, “I’m glad we’re together, too…I miss him, Kiyomi. It’s been…nearly twenty-four hours since I last saw him and I miss him.”

“I’m just happy to have him in my life again,” she smiled, “But I understand where you’re coming from. And you know what one of the best things about having Ritsu back is? Other than the obvious?”

“What’s that?”

“It brought me you.”

“Aww…” I did all I could to keep myself from crying, “Kiyomi…”

“Rei…” she begged, “Please…Keep an eye on him. If Ryoichi’s getting to the point where he’s really starting to get Ritsu tangled up in things, Ritsu needs someone watching his back.”

“I’d be happy to,” I promised, “Don’t worry, Kiyomi. I got him. He’ll be ok.”

“Thank you,” Kiyomi sighed out, “You know what? I got a place that could probably help.”

“Do tell,” I got excited as she pulled a small notepad out of her purse.

“You’re not above getting a job, are you, Rei?” she scribbled an address down.

“Nope.” This smells like undercover work. I never got undercover work back home. Daddy always said it was too dangerous for me since I was the spitting image of both my parents. More so him than Mama. When I looked at that address, I had a feeling I knew where it was, “Is this Shinjuku?”

“You need to be extremely careful here,” Kiyomi handed me the paper, “But if you’re serious about making sure Ritsu stays on the straight and narrow, this is a good place to start.”

“Ok,” I could see it all over her face. She was just a worried mother that wanted to keep her baby safe. If I didn’t happen to be dating said baby, I’d call this mercenary work, “I’m going to head there now. It’s been absolutely delightful sharing dinner with you, Kiyomi. Again, we need to do this more often.”

“I’d be happy to,” she threw her arms around me, “Be. Careful.”

“I will,” I promised, “Are you going to be ok getting home?”

“I’ll be fine,” Kiyomi brushed me off, “I can call a cab. Don’t worry about me.”

“Ok.”

“Good luck, sweetheart…”

I should be alright. At the end of the day, I’ve still handed ass to guys twice my size that looked like they could swallow me whole. I had this. Once I left the hot pot place, I took off to the address Kiyomi was so kind to write down for me. Rumor has it, Shinjuku during the day and Shinjuku at night were two totally different monsters. And I could see why. Half naked ladies (and some gentlemen) wandered the streets, holding down their respective corners. Jesus has a plan for you all, but I’m not going to knock the hustle.

I pulled up in front of this brick building with a neon sign on it that said the Viper Pit. Alright. Neat. And would you look at that? A help wanted sign in the window. Just like Kiyomi said. Although, this wasn’t just any help wanted sign. They made a specific request. They weren’t looking for just any help. They were looking for dancers. Now, I see why Kiyomi sent me here. Hopefully, it won’t be them looking for strippers. I’m not only a little young for that, but a little classier than that. If Daddy found out I was stripping, he’d kill me.

Huh…It’s kind of quiet in here for a Sunday night. Unless it’s like this all the time. For the sake of their business, I hope not. Still, it’s kind of cozy in here. Not as rundown as I thought it’d be. It’s kept relatively clean. Not too many are passed out in here. Everyone’s still got their clothes on. It made me wonder why Kiyomi would tell me to be careful. Although, I had a sneaky suspicion why. I didn’t dwell on it for very long. I didn’t have that kind of stomach.

“Hey!” a bartender barked at me, “What are you doing in here, kid?”

“Kid?” I stood my ground, “No, no, no. I haven’t been a kid in a long time. I saw the sign outside. You’re looking for dancers?”

“And…” the bartender looked me over with great skepticism, “That’s you?”

“That’s me,” I nodded, taking my jacket off. I pulled up a seat at the bar.

“Really?” he still didn’t trust me. Understandable, “What do you specialize in?”

“I’m classically trained in ballet and ballroom,” I told him. As far as job interviews go, this is definitely the most informal one I’ve been on. Daddy always told me that when the job interview seems kind of sketchy, they’re looking to pay under the table. I’m totally fine with no paper trails.

“That’s not what we’re looking for,” the bartender shot me down, “Get out of here.”

“Hold on,” I stopped him, “I can dance. I really can. I got another thing I can do, if you can give me a minute.”

“I don’t have that kind of time, sweetheart.”

Come on, Rei. Think on your feet here. You can’t blow this. But then, I noticed some ropes hanging from the ceiling, holding back a pair of fabrics. Huh…Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes? If there’s one thing I’m good at…That I’m _damn good_ at…It’s that, “I see you have some silk ribbons on the ceiling.”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“Do you mind?” I started walking toward the stage.

“Be my guest,” he allowed, “You need music?”

“I got it,” I found the aux cable in the back behind the curtain and plugged my phone in. Now, if I’m to make a name for myself in a seedy place like this…I only had one thing on my mind. I needed to make sure they knew who was running shit around here. At this point, I could step on all the toes I wanted. Because they’d see it as cute. I could see it all over the bartender’s face. He underestimated me. And big time. Nothing better than that. A sultry, seductive riff began and I started getting my foot locks in order. I hope they knew that even if I got the job, there’s no way in hell they own me. Another one of those things Daddy always told me? I had an appreciation for the classics. And something in Lesley Gore’s voice brought that out in me.

I haven’t been able to bust out a good silks routine in ages! Not since I was back home in December. Even then, I only used it to scare the shit out of Ritsu. Although, I would definitely regret not limbering up first. It’s just a few minutes. I’ll be able to handle it. If I’m sore tomorrow, I’ll have no one else to blame but myself. Still, I swung and swayed and spun and hung upside down for the bartender’s amusement. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was recording it. By the look on his face, I already had the job. 

When the song came to an end, I rolled down from the top to the bottom of the silks and fell to the floor. For the few people that were in this club, I dazzled them all. Including the man behind the counter. I think it’s safe to say I got the job, but just to be sure, I made my way back to the bar with a beautiful cockiness in my strut, “So? How was that?”

“It was interesting,” he approved, “To say the least. The boss is out of town right now, but he left me in charge of hiring new talent.”

“Strange he left such responsibility in the hands of a bartender,” I pointed out.

“Manager,” he corrected me, “And your new boss. Besides, I’m the one that has to watch you night after night. That is, if I hear back from him in the next minute or two.”

Beep!

The bartender…Manager…Whatever he is checked his phone. I had a little smirk on my face, “Who’s that?”

“The big boss,” he shoved his phone back in his pocket, “How old are you?”

If I’ve learned anything about infiltration, it’s how to lie. And oh, how I’ve gotten good at it, “Nineteen.”

“You know,” he put a hand to my cheek, “You’re awfully cute. I’m surprised an idol agency hasn’t sniffed you out.”

“Also taken,” I backed off. Ritsu would be beating the shit out of this guy for talking like that to me. Hell, I damn near beat the shit out of him for that.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?” But that didn’t seem to matter to him.

“It sure as hell isn’t sweetheart,” I snapped. I needed a name, “It’s Reina.”

“Reina, huh?” he kept sizing me up. I’m going to need a shower when I get home. And a hot one, “Can you start tomorrow night?”

“Sure,” I nodded, “When?”

“From seven to midnight,” he told me, “You’ll get a thousand yen an hour. Depending on how you do.”

“That’s good for me,” I approved, “Thank you.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

  
“Hold on,” I stopped him, “You never told me your name.”

“Shiro,” he introduced himself, “Now, go on. Get out of here.”

I had a job. An honest to God job. I had a feeling this club was Kasanoda owned. As long as the big boss didn’t show his son the video. Hopefully, he’ll just write it off and say that I’m cute and talented and move on from there. But I needed to head home. I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day and I still had to go to school in the morning. It’s not like I could skip. I have no one to skip with.

Beep!

Hey…That’s always nice to hear. I pulled my phone out of my bag and melted at what lit up the screen.

_Going to bed._

_Love you._

_-RK_

Fuck, I miss him…

_On my way._

_Love you, too x_

_-RM_

I miss him so damn much…


	16. That Would Be Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys? Are you feeling a little masochistic? Type in the chapter title into YouTube and pick the top option. Put in the context of Rei and Ritsu. Enjoy.

This sucks. My bed is comfortable. My blankets are warm. However, my body pillow could only get me so far. It’s such a downer that I won’t see him today. I have no one to fight in kendo. I have no one to shoo Hikaru and Kaoru away from me. Although, I do have the Space Mountain picture for blackmail purposes. I do love that picture…Maybe I should make sure Ritsu’s alive. I grabbed my phone off my nightstand. What do I even tell him? Get your ass home as soon as possible? Sounds right, but make it sound less guilt trippy.

_I miss you._

_-RM_

I grabbed a quick shower and my uniform. I kind of wanted to forget I had any sort of femininity today. A part of me gave serious consideration to putting on my old uniform. I just wanted to blend into the wall. Fuck, I have to host today, too. Goddammit…I don’t have that in me now. I sure as hell won’t have it in me by this afternoon. And then, I’m going to have to go into the Viper Pit tonight? I needed some coffee. That’s all this was. I’m running on fumes and a bad caffeine withdrawal. 

Beep.

I’ve never jumped for my phone faster. In fact, I’m a little ashamed.

_Miss you more. x_

_-RK_

My heart hurts. I don’t even know if my heart is still in this country. School would suck, but it’s only a few days. I ‘ll be ok. I grabbed my bike keys and took off. I had to go to the coffee cart by myself. I didn’t get to snuggle my face in Ritsu’s back. Today is going to be a fucking day. When I got to homeroom, I sat in my usual spot in the back, completely isolated from the world. Just my coffee and me. And that’s all I needed…Well…Other than the obvious.

“Good morning, Rei…” Hikaru and Kaoru sandwiched me.

I shot them the most wicked fuck you glare I have ever given them, “Leave.”

“Yes, ma’am.” They both backed off, probably in need of back up pants. It’s so nice when they listen. Especially on days like today.

“Hold on,” Hikaru wondered, “You’re short one.”

“Yeah,” Kaoru noticed, “Where’s Kasanoda?”

“Out of town,” I groaned into my arm in my own private hell, “He’ll be back in a few days.”

“Really?” they shared a mischievous grin. And if they keep looking at me like that, they’re going to share a burial plot, too.

“No,” Haruhi sat in front of me. God fucking bless her.

“No what?”

“You know damn well what.” I needed to send Haruhi a fruit basket, “Not one word of this gets back to Tamaki-senpai. I know how you two operate and I know the three of you share a brain cell. If you even utter a word of this to him, I will not hold Rei back.”

“Thanks, Haruhi,” I gave her a nod, “You’re a real one.”

“You’re welcome.”

“We weren’t going to!” Hikaru and Kaoru whined.

“Uh-huh,” Haruhi knew better. I knew better. Everyone knew better.

“So, Rei,” Hikaru asked, “Does this mean you’re hosting all week instead?”

“Someone’s going to have to keep an eye on you,” Kaoru teased, “Just to make sure you don’t get in too much trouble.”

“No,” I glared through his soul, “You don’t think Ritsu doesn’t have Mori watching me? He was yesterday. He probably will be all week.”

“It probably wouldn’t hurt you to stick around a little more, though,” Haruhi suggested, “You don’t need to be all by yourself while he’s gone.”

“Thanks, Haruhi,” I laid my head on her shoulder, “I’ll be fine, but I appreciate the concern.”

“By the way,” she wondered, “Where’d you go after we got our nails done the other day?”

“Well,” I remembered, “You know how Ritsu and I were kind of on the rocks?”

“Yeah.”

“We took off for Hakone that night,” I went on, “But I thought about renting a motorcycle, so I didn’t have to take Ritsu’s spare helmet.”

“And…?” Haruhi perked up, “Did you rent one?”

“No,” I shook my head, “I didn’t rent a motorcycle.”

“Really?” Hikaru looked at me strange.

“You didn’t rent a motorcycle for a trip to Hakone?” Kaoru shared his brother’s skepticism.

“I didn’t! I swear!” I pulled out my phone and showed off my new ride, “I bought one instead.”

“YOU BOUGHT A MOTORCYCLE?!” the twins freaked.

“It’s beautiful, Rei,” Haruhi looked the picture over, “But seriously? You left the nail salon and bought a motorcycle?”

“Yep,” I nodded, “What can I say? When I’m in a mood, I tend to impulse shop.”

“And you impulse bought a motorcycle?” she gasped, “You know, most people, when they’re impulse buying, it’s usually a candy bar in line at the supermarket. Not a full-on motorcycle.”

“YOU BOUGHT A MOTORCYCLE?!” Tamaki had the same reaction when he found out. He was just as freaked out as Hikaru and Kaoru. And after the long ass day I’ve had, I don’t know if I can handle him being over the top. I understand he doesn’t exactly have an alternate setting, but still. It’d be nice if he could dial it back just a tad.

“Yeah,” I brushed him off, taking my spot on the couch, “She’s sitting in the parking lot as we speak.”

“You should not have a motorcycle, young lady,” Tamaki scolded me, “Daddy forbids it.”

“Daddy doesn’t even know about it yet,” I rolled my eyes, “And why the fuck not? It’s my money to do with as I please.”

“You mean,” Kyoya corrected me, “Your father’s money.”

“No, no, no,” I clarified, putting the little shit back in his place, “That’s my money. Those are _my_ protection fees that are paid to _my_ bank account. If I wanted a bike, I was going to get a fucking bike. And so, I did. She’s already seen the road when Ritsu and I took a road trip to Hakone over the weekend and she got me to school this morning, so…Little late to throw her back now. Hey, Haruhi?”

“Yeah, Rei?” Haruhi perked up, “What is it?”

“I hate to do this to you,” I admitted, “But could you go to the café down the street for me? I need something to pull me out of this weird ass slump and there is nothing in this world caffeine can’t fix.”

“Sure,” she nodded, “I’d be happy to. You want a flat white with three shots of espresso, right?”

“You know what?” I thought it over, “Make it an iced Americano with a couple pumps of sweetener. That sounds better.”

“Got it.” I love her.

“Reila…” Tamaki pulled me aside, “We’re not done talking about your recent acquisition.”

“Those are some big words coming out of your mouth, Tamaki,” I applauded.

“I’m serious,” Tamaki held his ground. I must say I’m impressed, “We’ll discuss this later.”

“There’s nothing left to discuss,” I shooed him away, “I got a shit ton of clients coming my way and I’m sure you do, too.”

Tamaki wasn’t happy with me. I could see it in those angry eyes of his. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he wanted to ground me. Little did he know, if he wanted to keep Haruhi in his arms and keep a certain someone from making an anonymous phone call to the Lobelia bitches, he’ll do whatever it takes to keep himself in my good graces. And that’s what kept me where I was. In all honesty, I’ve grown a taste for this whole hosting thing. It’s not bad. In small doses. Kind of like caviar. It’s not totally gross if it’s just a bite or two. After that, my ass is puking. Nevertheless, Hikaru and Kaoru opened the doors to the host club and we were open for business.

Unfortunately, Haruhi had yet to come back with my coffee. I mean, I know I’ll be ok for a bit without it, but I’d rather deal with these girls with a good buzz. She’ll be back shortly, though. It’s not like that coffee shop is very far from here. Although, I so wish my day as a host didn’t start out like this. To no one’s surprise, Luka sat in front of me, “Hi, Rei.”

“Hello, Luka,” I paid her little to no attention, just like most of my clients liked it. For some ungodly reason. I’m thinking inattentive fathers. Can’t relate.

“How are you?” Luka asked, trying to make small talk. I know it’s part of the job, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.

“Super.”

“You’re still lying to me,” she stared down at the floor, “Why can’t you be honest with me?”

“Because I have trust issues,” I admitted, “Look, Luka. It’s not you, alright? I’m in a funk today. And I probably will be for the next few days. My best friend is out of town and it’s taking a lot out of me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Luka awed, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No,” I shook my head. And look at that. An idea came loose, “But I know someone who can. Hey, Tamaki?”

“Yes, Rei?” Tamaki glanced over his shoulder, “Is everything alright?”

“Loaded question,” I told him, “But can I ask you a favor?”

“Always!” I knew he couldn’t stay too pissed off at me.

“Do you mind if I borrow your piano?” I requested, getting up from my section. At least, I assume it’s Tamaki’s piano. I’ve only seen him play it.

“Go ahead,” Tamaki allowed, “I didn’t know you played.”

“Yeah,” I shrugged, taking a seat at his piano, “Abuelita taught me a long time ago. Most of it stuck, but I learned to play a lot by ear, too. I’m kind of in a mood and I don’t have anything to buy on impulse. I need to vent.”

“It’s a good thing Honey-senpai is down for a nap,” Hikaru popped up on my left.

“You’d probably play him to sleep,” Kaoru popped up on my right.

“What are you going to play, Rei?” Luka wondered, leaning against the piano.

“I got something in mind…” Honestly, it’s weighing heavier on my heart than on my mind. I started playing softly. It’s not like this was a hardcore song. But it was hitting different these days.

_We don’t need a legacy…_

_We don’t need money…_

_If I could grant you peace of mind…_

_If you would let me inside your heart…_

_Let me be a part of the narrative_

_In the story they will write some day…_

_Let this moment be the first chapter…_

_Where you decide to stay…_

“And I could be enough!” I hated breaking my own heart, but sometimes, it needed to be done. And what better than one of the few times in my life I’ve ever seen Ritsu cry. Granted, that was during “It’s Quiet Uptown”, but I don’t want to even give that a thought. If he could just stay alive…That would be enough. I pulled myself together again, wiping the few tears that managed to escape the bastille behind my eyes. That didn’t come often, but when they did…I miss him…

“Rei…” Luka awed, “That was beautiful.”

“Thank you,” I took my due bow.

“Rei…” Tamaki clutched his chest, “Where in the hell did that come from?”

“Broadway, actually,” I sniffed. Settle down, Rei. If there’s one thing you know about the host club, it’s that they latch onto sadness until it goes away. You do not want that kind of added attention, “It came from a show I saw with Ritsu this summer. I’m sorry if I got a little emotional.”

“No,” Luka sat next to me, “No, no, no. Don’t ever apologize for that.”

“She’s right, Rei,” Tamaki didn’t realize there wasn’t enough space on this bench for the three of us. But he pulled me into his arms anyway, “That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“I might need to run through Guns and Ships just to feel like a man again,” I shook him off me and got up from the piano. 

“Aww…” Hikaru and Kaoru grabbed me instead. I traded one hellacious sandwich for another. Fantastic, “She’s so cute!”

Then…It just exploded out of me. Of course it does. It’s Guns and Ships. That’s not one of those songs that comes out nice and gentle, “I’M TAKING THIS HORSE BY THE REINS. MAKING REDCOATS REDDER WITH BLOODSTAINS!”

“What kind of demon just game out of you?” Haruhi walked in at the wrong time. Poor baby.

“Would you two get off of me?” I knocked Hikaru and Kaoru loose, “And to answer your question, Haruhi, it wasn’t a demon. I was possessed by the spirit of America’s favorite fighting Frenchman. But I digress.”

And that’s without coffee in me. I mean, I had a few cups throughout the day, but that’s here nor there. They had all worn off. I pulled myself back together after falling to pieces at the piano and continued dealing with the usual host club clientele. By the time it was over, I was spent. I needed either a bathtub or a cigarette. And I’ve never smoked a day in my life. Although, a glass of Bordeaux would hit the spot…Shit, I was possessed by Lafayette, wasn’t I?

“Hey, Rei?” Haruhi asked as we were closing up shop for the day, “Are you going to the ramen shop from here?”

“I can’t,” I checked the clock. Shit…My first shift starts in an hour, “As much as I’d love to. I think I’m going to call it an early night.”

“Oh,” I don’t think she was expecting me to turn it down, “Ok. See you tomorrow then.”

“That’s the plan.” When I left the host club, I jumped on the bike, changed into something skimpy when I got home, and headed straight for Shinjuku. It was time for little Reis to go to work.


	17. Caged, But Not Domesticated

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you beautiful creature, you. How are we doing? I hope you're doing well. Because...Well...If you don't care about my personal life, feel free to jump down to this week's chapter. But for those of you who do listen to my little anecdotes, first of all, thank you. It's nice to talk to you. But today marks a significant day in Lumi Olivier history. Nine years. It's been nine years since I broke one of my worst habits. I was in a real bad spot in my head for a while and occasionally, that war I waged on myself left some battle scars. It's been nine years today (if you're here in real time) since I let those moments of weakness get to me. I've had a hell of a lot of close calls, but never really went through with it. So, if you ever need someone to go down that dark rabbit hole with, I'm not a doctor, but I'm also a nonjudgmental ear to vent to. And I love you. So, let's get on with the chapter, ok? x

Oh, the Viper Pit. My new home sweet home. Walking in here feels like walking into the host club, but with more…Familiarity. Like I’m back home. It’s weird being on the business end of it and not the illegitimate business side. But I was going to have to keep my head on my shoulders in here. I know it’s a place for yakuza activity. It’s dripping with seediness. But why else would Kiyomi drop me here if not to keep a close eye on her baby? I couldn’t blame her. And besides, while I’m in here, I can make sure Ritsu’s ok, too. And I get to finally dance professionally. Good for me! Although, I had no idea what the hell I was doing.

“Hi, Shiro,” I pulled up a seat at the bar. This place wasn’t packed, but it was a hell of a lot busier than I thought it’d be on a Monday night.

“Hi, Reina,” he greeted me, “What are you doing up here?”

“Where do you need me to go?” I wondered, “I’m guessing there’s somewhere special for the talent.”

“You think way too highly of yourself,” Shiro chuckled to himself, “Look, go in the back. Go find Minako. She’ll get you taken care of and tell you where you are in the lineup. Got it? Any questions you have from here on out, you ask Minako. She’ll be able to tell you just about anything.”

“Got it, boss,” I gave him a halfhearted salute and hopped down from my barstool. Now, if I were Minako, where would I be? Shiro did say to go to the back. I went through the employees only door near the stage and started my search. 

Holy shit…This hallway was nothing but scantily clad women, frantically bouncing between dressing rooms. I’m pretty sure one of them was snorting cocaine off another’s lower back. And another decided to take a more direct approach and shoot it right into her veins. Dear god…It’s _just like_ being back home! If this wasn’t a nightly occurrence in the clubs. In all the time I’ve been living in Japan, I’ve never felt more like I was back in New York than right now. But much like I’ve been taught in New York, prison rules apply everywhere. Don’t ever let them smell fear.

“Hey!” I called down the hall, “Which one of you is Minako?”

“Look alive, ladies!” a loud, boisterous voice yelled back, “Fresh meat!”

Hold your ground, Rei. Don’t let them see you sweat. If need be, you may have to punch your way out of this one, but I know I can do it. I got this. Oh, her outside definitely matched her voice. A big bitch came toward me and stopped at my feet. I could do this, “Are you Minako?”

“I am,” she nodded, “Are you Reina?”

“Yeah,” I nodded back.

Minako studied me closer, my face in her hands. She checked me at every angle. Then, she let me go with a smile on her face, “Oh, he is going to _love_ you. Come with me.”

“Ok?” I followed her into one of the dressing rooms. Not much for decoration. That’s for sure. A vanity, a couple lights, and what looked like a casting couch. Honestly, I’d be afraid of sitting down on it. Might get up pregnant with a whole fucking litter. Still, I kept my guard up. I’m sure she’s going to be the one to set me at ease and make sure that guard came tumbling down. They’ve never met me before. How are they supposed to know?

“Sit down,” Minako ordered, nodding toward the vanity chair. Ok…Now, I understood what her purpose is. Daddy had a few clubs in our territory. We always had someone there that operated as a madame. Well…Kind of like a madame. She made sure the girls were taken care of and decent when they went onstage. I have no doubt that’s what Minako was here to do, “Has someone explained to you what to do yet?”

“Just to find you,” I told her.

“And here you are,” she started getting different tools out of the drawers, “First things first, you can knock off that bitchy ass attitude.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’ve seen your type in here before,” Minako pulled out a drawer full of different foundations, looking for a shade to match me, “You come in, nervous as all hell, and overcompensate, so we don’t see your sudden weaknesses. It’s alright, honey. You don’t have to put that brave face on in here.”

“Um…” I have never been so seen in my life. Who did she think she was? She called my ass out. 

“I was right, wasn’t I?” she smirked, “Regardless, you’re the new silks dancer, aren’t you?”

“That’s right,” I nodded, shaking off the sudden icky feeling I had.

“You’re on at nine o'clock,” Minako explained, holding her swatches up to my cheek, “Sorry, sweetheart. I don’t think we have anything for you…”

“I’m a Tarte light-medium honey,” I told her, “In case you’re curious.”

“Good to know,” she gave me a little smile, “But your foundation shade aside, let’s get back to what you’re doing.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I started to feel a little more at ease with Minako. Something tells me if I do knock off the bitchy ass attitude (despite it being most of my personality), she and I are going to get along famously.

“Before and after you go on,” Minako continued, working to finagle a decent foundation match for me, “You’re going to be in a cage.”

“What the fuck?!” I gasped.

“One of the big cages hanging from the ceiling,” she settled me, “You are awfully jumpy, Reina. Unclench. Really. You’re safe back here. Besides, the big boss is out of town. And if you keep that kind of attitude up around him, he’ll make sure you go missing and that no one will go looking for you. Anyway, when you’re up in the cages, it’s more so for your safety than anyone else’s. Sometimes, our patrons can get a little grabby.”

“Got it,” I took a quick mental note of when the big boss comes back. He’s probably going to want something sweet and submissive that will do anything he asks. I’ll be alright, “So, what do I do in the cage? Sit back and watch what goes on?”

“Oh, no, no, no,” Minako went on, “When you’re up in the cage, you’re still dancing around. Just enjoy yourself and you should be alright. It keeps the party going. If there’s still someone having fun, that fun is contagious. But if you want to keep doing tricks like you do on the silks, there’s a swing in those cages, too. But they’re also really nice when you need a break. Anything you can do to stay in the eyes of our patrons. Let them watch you. You’re about to spend your nights being fawned over and adored. Do you think you could handle something like that?”

“I think so.” It’s no different than what I do at the host club. Although, Mondays are going to be my private hell. I’ll have to go from the host club to here with hardly a break in between. Maybe I could renegotiate something with Kyoya and get my time knocked down. Hopefully, he’ll let me out early. But that would raise too much suspicion. Ugh…I really am caught between a rock and a hard place here.

“We’ll just have you on during the week,” Minako allowed, “We’ll keep you off on the weekends for now. We’ll see how you do.”

“Ok.” Cool. I don’t have to ask for the weekend off and I still get the overnight trip! After this week, I don’t care if I get the weekends free or not. As long as I get that overnight trip. If Ritsu and I come out of our room, I’ll be amazed.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” she wondered, moving onto my eyes, “What made you walk in here and take the job? You realize what kind of place this is, right?”

“Yeah,” I knew exactly what this place was.

“Then, what would a kid like you be doing in a place like this?” Minako’s curiosity turned into concern, “You in someone’s crosshairs? You looking for protection? You figure being in the good graces of the family that runs this place will keep you safe?”

She acts like I don’t know which family runs this place. She acts like I couldn’t protect myself if it came down to it. She acts like I’m not already under their protection, “No. I’m not looking for protection.”

“So, then, it’s for the love of the craft?”

“There’s someone I need to protect,” I confessed. Minako had honest eyes, but something tells me she could keep a secret, “Let’s just leave it at that.”

“Consider it left,” she backed off, “But you know, Reina, if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. I can get you whatever you need. I’m pretty cozy in the big boss’s back pocket. Hell, I’ve been watching his son grow up since he was practically fresh out of the womb. Cute little thing, he is. He’s been like the pain in the ass grandson I never had, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world.”

“I can only imagine,” I let out a heavy sigh. I miss her pain in the ass grandson she never had.

“Here,” Minako pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her pictures, “I’m sure the big boss would kill me for having something like this, but what he doesn’t know won’t kill him.”

Yep. Just as I thought. While she started adding little straightener curls to my hair, I felt an ache in my chest. I tried to hide it as much as I could. This had to be a couple years ago. Before we met. Then, in that moment, I needed a hug. And no one in this building would do. Although, I will say this. It’s a cute picture. I could tell he hated it in the moment, but I know damn well he’d be looking at it and smiling now. He’s going to kill me when he gets back.

“You’re right,” I handed her phone back, “He’s cute.”

“He’s still practically a baby yet,” Minako gushed, “He’s probably…Shit…How old is Ritsu now? Sixteen? Seventeen? He’s still in high school, so ease back, cougar.”

Is this the part where I tell her he’s older than me? And that we have homeroom together? And maybe that we’re disgustingly in love with each other? I’m no cougar, “Younger guys don’t do it for me.”

“Sugar baby?”

“No,” I shook my head, the little curls falling into my face, “My dad would kill me if I did something like that. I come by my money honestly.”

“Honey,” Minako put a hand on my shoulder, “You’re dancing in a club in Shinjuku ran by yakuza. What was that you were saying about coming by your money honestly?”

“Well,” I bit my lip, “I got another gig on the side. That’s where my honest money is.”

“Alright then,” she wasn’t going to pry. Alright. Minako and me? We were cool, “Go on, Reina. Go get dressed. Help yourself to the closet. If you’re stumped for what to grab, I suggest matching your costume to your set.”

“Ok,” I got up and looked through the racks of costumes made available. Oh, yikes…

Not to be that pretentious bitch, but I’m afraid to touch anything in here. Chances are, I’ll end up with an infection. Everything in this closet was falling apart and tacky as hell. Some of them even had patching scars on them already. Jesus Christ…One would think that with the money this place probably rakes in on a regular basis, the talent could get some better options here. Come on, Rei. You can make lemonade out of lemons. You’ve done it before. I have no doubt in my mind that you can do it again.

“Hey, Minako,” I wondered, “Is there any sort of emotional attachment to the wardrobe here?”

“Not that I know of,” she shrugged, “Why?”

“No reason,” I took a pair of scissors and made a few creative adjustments. The closet wasn’t a total dumpster fire. There were a few sets of garters and some sparkly shorts that could stand to be a little shorter. A decent crop top and I’m set. If I didn’t look like jailbait…

“You didn’t do something silly like chop up what limited costumes we have, did you?” Oh, shit.

“I thought you said there wasn’t any sentimentality,” I pointed out, already feeling guilty. In all honesty, I did them a great service. This was much better than the shit they already had.

“I’m screwing with you, kid,” Minako giggled, “No worries.”

“Good,” I let out a heavy sigh of relief, giving shoes consideration. No. Shoes and silks were a pain in the ass to manage. When I was starting out on silks, I tried doing it with jazz shoes. My god, was it hell. Barefoot, it is. 

“But,” Minako grabbed what looked like uncooked chicken cutlets out of a drawer, “You might need to stuff a little.”

“Seriously?” Now, I get what those chicken cutlets were. Fake tits. Fun.

“I didn’t make the rules,” she shrugged, “My god, Reina…Not for nothing, but did the puberty train skip your stop?”

“No,” I explained, situating them in my bra. Oh…This felt weird. This felt really weird. I wasn’t too keen on the fake tits. It’s like dropping Jell-O down my shirt, “All the women on my mom’s side of the family were late bloomers. I’m assuming I got her genetics in that department.”

“Well,” Minako helped me readjust, “If you don’t mind me saying so, you look like you’re ready. Go on, sweetie. Go pick a cage.”

“Does it matter which one?” I wondered, not wanting to step on any toes on my first day. Walking into a new high school is one thing. Walking into a yakuza owned night club? That was a totally different monster. I didn’t need to start turf wars tonight. Pick my battles.

“Nope,” she nudged me along, “Go on.”

“Ok,” I walked out of the dressing room and picked my real estate. Let’s see…Which one of these do I want to hang out in while I’m waiting for the clock to strike nine? Why not one right by the stage? Although, if I’m going to stick to one cage while I’m here, I should probably hang around the bar instead. Yeah. Let’s go with that. We’re going to hang by the bar. I got in my appropriate cage and started swinging. 

Never did I ever think this was going to ever be a thing. If I was going to be dancing professionally, I would’ve thought it’d be…Well…Like this. I figured it’d be more like on a competitive circuit like Mama used to do in her downtime. Instead, it’s in some seedy, yakuza owned club in the middle of Shinjuku. But I’m not complaining. The view from up here isn’t too bad. And I’m getting paid to sit and swing here. In a couple hours, I’d be getting paid to do a silks routine. Shit…I didn’t have a routine.

I mean, I could always improvise something. Keep them guessing while keeping myself guessing. Limbering up beforehand would probably be a good idea, too. Instead of doing my usual stretches, I did a few tricks on the swing, flipping myself around, hanging from the swing upside down. Just a few basics and a few things to get me used to the feeling of being upside down. Although, I didn’t really have much of a problem with that. Daddy always said I came into the world upside down and made myself comfortable there. Even when I’m sitting at home, I’ll hang my feet over the back of the couch and watch TV upside down. I wasn’t what one would consider a normal child.

But then, nine o'clock came. Someone came to help me down from my cage and a chorus of whistles ushered me to the stage. Now, I never was really much for the kids Disney made famous. But once Selena Gomez branched out into her own music, I’d be lying if I said Come and Get It wasn’t a jam. Besides, I was here to tease just a little bit, wasn’t I? When the music started, I was already in a foot lock and halfway up the ribbons. This bitch came to fucking play tonight.

I spun myself around the silks for a little while, spinning a tale with them. See the pretty girl? See her wrapped up in silk? In her web? That’s right. Get close. See what happens when you get close. I hate to spoil the end, but it does not end pretty for you. She’ll snap your neck if you get too close. She’ll slit your throat and let you bleed out in the street. This little bitch is a black fucking widow. Daddy raised her well. And as much as I love my boyfriend to pieces and as much as we’re each other’s ride or die, Daddy’s the only man in this world that will ever fully have my trust.

Fuck, I forgot how much I loved doing this. How much I loved performing on a grand scale. I mean, it’s still a seedy club in Shinjuku, but it’s a crowd. I didn’t do this for the notoriety or the fame or anything overly vapid like that. I loved to tell a good story. Since actions speak louder than words, it’s easier to tell a story with my body than putting a pen to paper. I’m sure no one in this particular audience is getting that story of the precious little black widow on these ribbons, but it’s being told. It’s getting out of me. 

By the time I was done, I needed some time in my cage. A little bit of peace and quiet. Although, the loud applause shook me to my core. I took my well-deserved bow and climbed back into my cage to come out another time. It’s weird. This place is so much like the host club, but on a much larger stage. Is it strange to like it? I know I didn’t start working here for the money and it was so I can make sure Ritsu doesn’t get into too much trouble, but…There’s no harm in liking the undercover work, right?

“Hey, Reina!” Shiro called up to me.

“Hi, Shiro,” I laid on my belly, reveling in the cool metal against my skin, “What can I do for you?”

“First of all,” he praised, “That was fantastic.”

“Thank you.”

“And I have a drink for you, sweetheart,” Shiro passed a big ass piña colada up through the cage.

“Already?” I giggled, taking a good, heavy sip. Dammit. Virgin. Not complaining, though. I didn’t need to dehydrate myself any more than I already was, “Good for me! Which one is sending me drinks?”

“The lady at the bar,” he pointed to a curvy red head in a purple dress.

“Could you tell her I say thank you?” I shot her a quick smile. To my surprise, she got up and started heading my way.

“Tell her yourself,” Shiro left me alone and hopped back behind the bar. 

Meanwhile, I had this lady at my cage. Might as well, “Thank you. Really, I appreciate it. It gets pretty intense up there.”

“Looks like it.” I was not expecting a deep voice from her, “I heard about a little girl dancing onstage here down the street from where I work. Thought I’d come see for myself.”

“Here I am,” I took another drink. Damn, this was good, “Which one is yours?”

“I work at the drag bar down the block.” Ok. Drag queen. This made more sense, “You really were something up there.”

“Thank you,” I melted inside, “I’m Reina.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Reina.” There was something unsettling in the grin in front of me, “I’m Ranka. And we need to have a word, young lady.”

Oh, shit…Good feeling gone. I tried to pull myself together, “Ranka, it’s not what you…”

“No,” he cut me off, “When do you get off?”

“Midnight.”

“Meet me outside.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I’m fucked.


	18. Do You Know Where Your Children Are?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ....Hi, friends.
> 
> How are we?
> 
> Well?
> 
> That's good. That's good to know...
> 
> What do you mean, I'm acting suspicious? You're acting suspicious. Don't give me that shit. Now, are we ready for Rei to get torn a new asshole? Alright. Let's go watch Rei get torn a new asshole...Come on. Hold my hand. Be careful now...

At the end of my shift, I knew what was coming. I knew what I was about to get myself into. I just danced in front of God only knows how many yakuza members in a club owned by one of the biggest yakuza syndicates with no fear. I wasn’t even really nervous. I never had that getting on a stage. I knew what I was doing. I was confident in my abilities. If they didn’t like it, that’s their problem for not appreciating art. But this…This would be a different monster. Once my face was clean again, I walked outside to my bike. Maybe Ranka had a chance to cool down and maybe he won’t tear me a new asshole.

“Diner,” Ranka demanded, standing near the door, “It’s just down the street. Meet me there and do not deviate.”

“Got it.” Oh, yeah. Still getting the new asshole. Joy. When I got to that diner, I parked my bike across the street and walked in. I can do this. It’s Ranka. Let’s be honest. What could he possibly do? Nothing I couldn’t fight my way out of. I mean, it might cost me my friendship with Haruhi, but a small price to pay for my safety. I’m not saying I’m ready to throw hands, but if I need to, I will.

The two of us got a table and sat down. Ranka glared a hole through me. The silence between us said more than what it should. Maybe I should take the first step here, “Ranka…”

“Hush.”

“Ranka…”

“Shh…” He wasn’t having it.

“Ranka…”

“No,” Ranka cut me off, “I talk. You listen. Deal?”

Holy shit…I’ve been through a few interrogations in my day. A couple of shakedowns. But nothing like this. I didn’t expect Ranka to know what he’s doing. Color me impressed. As a professional courtesy, I kept my mouth shut, “Deal.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Ranka snapped, ready to do a little more than give me a good old-fashioned shakedown. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think he was ready to throw me off the roof.

“You don’t understand,” I tried to explain.

“No,” his tirade continued, “Do you know what I saw in there? I saw a little girl dancing for money. And when she was done turning tricks, she was up in a cage, doing it all over again! I know we don’t know each other very well yet, Rei, but you’re better than this. I know you are deep down. Somewhere in there.”

“And what did you think?” I wondered, genuinely curious about the feedback, “My set. I did pretty well tonight, if I do say so myself.”

“What would your father say about you doing something like this?” Ranka argued, “Do you really think he’d approve?”

“He wouldn’t be proud,” I agreed, remembering back to when he found out about the host club. Yikes. If I wasn’t the family disappointment then, “But he’d trust me and my reasoning for being there in the first place.”

“Why are you doing this?” he asked, finally letting me breathe again.

“Well,” I kept my voice down, turning the pissed off tables, “Let’s just say you could’ve easily blown my cover tonight. And that would’ve landed me in a tight spot. Nothing I wouldn’t be able to get myself out of, but I’d rather not get myself in it in the first place.”

“Cover?” Ranka gave me a strange look, “What do you mean, cover?”

“Just that,” I leaned in a little closer, “Look, I’ve told you about my family. About our business. The layman’s terms of what we do.”

“Yeah.”

“I just got called on for a favor,” I explained.

“What?” Ranka scoffed, “To start stripping?”

“I don’t strip,” I jumped on the defensive, “I keep my clothes on. I leave that for the other girls. That’s not my thing. I just dance on the silks. Any costuming is my choice. But yeah. I’m on a job. I’m undercover right now and I’m the only one who can do it. I’m trusted by…let’s call them my client. With the big boss out of town, I can gain the trust of the staff without any interruptions. And even when he comes back to town, he’ll still have no idea who I am, except for what he hears about me from those in his inner circle. And he’ll have to trust that. Then, I weasel my way into his pocket. Trust me. I know what I’m doing.”

“Rei,” Ranka’s voice softened, “You do realize who the big boss is, right?”

“Oh, yeah,” I nodded, “I know. I need to keep watch over his son for a while. He worries me, Ranka. And I don’t like being worried.”

“Oh,” he finally started to understand, “So, you’re doing this for Ritsu.”

“He doesn’t know that,” I confirmed, “But yeah. I’m doing this for Ritsu.”

“You have an awfully soft spot in your heart for him,” Ranka smiled, “Don’t you, Rei?”

“Big time,” I let out a heavy sigh, “I’d take a bullet for Ritsu. And in a way, I’m taking a big one for him.”

“Sounds like it.”

“I miss him, Ranka…” I took a long sip from my water, “He needs to come home.”

“How long is he supposed to be gone?” Ranka wondered, starting to settle down.

“He’ll be back Wednesday,” I told him, “At least, that’s when he’s supposed to be back.”

“Good,” he applauded, “You need something else to occupy your time.”

“And he’s the best I got,” I held back a smile, my heart gaining a thousand pounds.

“Go home, sweetheart,” Ranka insisted, “It’s getting late and you have school in roughly six and a half hours.”

“I am pretty tired,” I admitted. It’s been a long night, but I kicked ass and took names, too, “Thanks for not being as big of a dick about this as you could’ve been, Ranka. I appreciate that.”

“You’re welcome,” he giggled, “But your father just left you here to run amok on your own?”

“I wouldn’t say he left me here,” I corrected him, “He sent me here. He knows what I’m here for. But yeah. I’m pretty much on my own. Although, I kind of got my PA engaged, so he’d have something other than me to obsess over. I feel bad for his fiancée. But I digress.”

“Still,” Ranka stood up and pulled me into his chest, “Be careful. Ok? I know Haruhi would be devastated if something happened to you. And if we’re being honest, I’d be the same way. Just…Please take care of yourself, Rei.”

“I will,” I promised, “As long as you don’t blow my cover.”

“I’ll be quiet.”

“Good night, Ranka,” I grabbed my bag out of our booth and started my trek home. First, I needed to get my baby up and running. However, when I got outside, I noticed a few women in matching bomber jackets and long skirts eyeing up my beauty. I made sure my knife was in my pocket, “Uh…Evening, ladies. Can I help you?”

“This is a beautiful bike,” one of them gushed. I’m guessing the leader. Nose ring, rose tattoo on her neck, at least knee high boots. 

“Thanks,” I kept the keys in my bag.

“We saw you coming out of the Viper Pit,” Left hand spoke up. Also nose ring, no neck tattoos, eyebrow piercing, and some thin ass eyebrows. Jesus Christ, girlfriend. Let those bitches grow in. Leave the tweezers alone for a while.

“Yeah,” I wasn’t sure what to think of them. And I knew damn well they didn’t know what to think of me. Or they were busy writing me off. That would work, too, “I’m a dancer. Why?”

“It’s nothing,” the leader rocked back on her heels, “It makes a bitch wonder how in the hell a dancer from the Viper Pit makes enough money to afford something like this.”

“You know,” Right hand stepped in, “I bet the old man has a new kitten in his lap.”

“Can’t say I’ve met him,” I brushed them off, “Can I go home now? It’s been a long night and I’m wrecked.”

“Sure,” the leader allowed, “But first, you need to pay us the money you owe.”

“What?” I knew exactly what this was. That didn’t mean I had to play along.

“That’s right,” Left hand stuck her actual left hand out, “Money. Hand. Now.”

“Um…” I stared them down, “No. Have a good night, ladies.”

The leader grabbed me by the shoulder and threw her leg over my bike. Big mistake, bitch, “You know, you’re awfully brave for a little nobody. If the old man doesn’t know you yet, that means you don’t have his protection.”

“I don’t need it,” I stood my ground, “Now, if you could get off my bike, that’d be great.”

“Pay us ten thousand yen,” she demanded with a dirty smirk on her face, “And I will.”

“No,” I wasn’t backing down. I knew better, “Look, I’ve never paid protection fees. I’ve never had to. And I don’t plan on starting.”

_Pow!_

Ow…That was unexpected. I didn’t think I’d get a sucker punch to the face today. My first nose job was expensive, you fucking bitch. She got off my bike and stood over me, still attempting to intimidate me, “How about now?”

I regained my footing and spat out a little bit of blood. How fucking dare she? I pulled myself back together, “You’re about to regret that, puta.”

“What did you just call me?”

“Me escuchaste, puta,” I growled, throwing a solid left hook into her jaw. Three against one wasn’t exactly what I’d call favorable odds, but what can I say? I grew up on the streets of Brooklyn. I’m a scrappy little bitch. I wasn’t expecting a street fight tonight, but I’ll be damned if I start paying protection. If I did, I’d be a shame to the family.

After a few more punches, the three of them took off. That’s right. You better fucking run. I just wanted to go home. I threw my leg over my bike. They didn’t hurt you, though, did they, sweetheart? No. You seem to be ok. No worse for wear. Now, how about you say we go home and I take a nap before school starts, yeah? That sounds like a good idea to me. Because something tells me that little Reis on their own in Shinjuku and one o'clock in the morning smells like more trouble. And I’m sure there were more where those three came from.

Home sweet home. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and shut my eyes until I had to get up for school, but unfortunately, I had a layer of sweat and glitter to get off my body. And possibly blood. I’m not quite sure how extensive my injuries were outside of the punch their leader got to my face. She caught me off guard. I won’t let that happen again. They’re lucky I didn’t have my Burmese blackwood on me. They wouldn’t have kneecaps left.

Still…I shouldn’t have been that off my game. I was raised like a little warrior. Fighting three on my own shouldn’t have been a problem. Guess I just had a lot on my mind. And I have lately. I just took up a new job to keep an eye on my boyfriend. And now, my best friend’s dad knows about said job. Ranka seems like the type that can keep his mouth shut, though. If he doesn’t, I know where he lives. We can have a word or two. And then…Then, there’s the big bother.

I miss my man. Plain and simple. I miss rolling over in the morning to see Meditrina looking back at me. Or even to see Ritsu half drooling on himself. I miss waking up before him only to fall back asleep with him wrapped around me. I miss how hard he tries to fight a nosebleed when he sees me getting dressed. Or after I come out of my closet. I miss when he occasionally giggles in his sleep out of absolute nowhere. It’s the cutest goddamn thing. I just…I miss him.

Ring, ring.

Please be Daddy. I need to vent and I need a life hug. Very few people could make me feel better right now. However, when I looked over at my phone screen, I saw the most beautiful Spanish sunset and Abuelita’s fine camerawork. That wasn’t Daddy. I quickly slid my finger across the screen, unable to hold back a smile on my face, “Hey, baby.”

“Hi,” Ritsu’s voice radiated through my chest, “Are you ok, Rei? You sound like you just ran a mile.”

“Caught me coming out of the shower,” I admitted, “Sue me. I didn’t want to miss your call.”

“So…” he teased, “Does that mean you’re still naked?”

“I got a towel on.” I wasn’t going to lie to him. Not about something like that.

“I’m surprised you’re still up,” Ritsu worried, “Hard time sleeping?”

“Yeah,” I lied through my teeth, “It’s been a long day and an even longer night. But enough about me. What about you? How are things going with your dad?”

“All things being equal,” he vented, “I’d rather be home. Most of the shit he’s saying goes in one ear and out the other. He still doesn’t get it. You know as well as I do what I don’t want to do.”

“The one thing I can’t wait to do,” I nodded, “I know. But can I let you in on a little secret?”

“What’s that, Reila?”

“I miss you,” I buried myself in my pillows. Because fuck pajamas tonight.

“I miss you more,” Ritsu shattered my heart, “But hey. Look on the bright side. With the way things have been going here, I could be back as early as Tuesday night. I’d be happy to meet you at the ramen shop when we get back into town.”

“Yay!” I sang, “Good. Because my bed’s getting kind of cold here, Ritsu. I may need a young dandy to warm it back up for me.”

“You wouldn’t…”

“Of course I wouldn’t,” I rolled my eyes. It’s not like I’m going to cheat on Ritsu. Keep certain things from him for his own safety? Yes. That I would do all day. But cheat on him? Out of the question, “Although…I bet if I asked the host club nicely, they’d be down for a slumber party.”

“Rei…” Ritsu grumbled, “Look, I love you. And you know I love you. And more often than not, I’m not going to tell you what to do with your life when it doesn’t directly involve me, but this is one thing I need to put my foot down. I do not like the thought of you being unattended overnight with six dudes. That doesn’t sit well with me. Please. For the love of God, do not have a host club slumber party at your penthouse.”

“Relax, baby,” I giggled to myself, “I’m not inviting the host club over for a slumber party. I can barely handle them in the small doses I do see them in. Could you imagine what kind of hell I’d be in if I went through with something like that? Fuck no.”

“Hey,” Ritsu went on high alert, “As much as I’d love to stick around here, I have to go. He’s on his way back.”

“Ok,” I let him go.

“Te amo, princesa.”

“Aishiteru, koibito.”

Click.

Fuck, I miss that boy. But I’m also tired as hell. And I understand. His old man was about to come back into the picture and he doesn’t know about me. Oh, but he will. He’s going to know me. If everything Minako told me holds any water, I’m going to end up getting closer to him than I’d want to. Maybe I could get lucky and use that to my advantage. But for the time being, I needed the sleep. I curled up in bed and shut my eyes, dreading the thought of my alarm going off.

It felt like I might have slept for ten minutes before my alarm went off. This morning is going to be my own private hell. I can tell already. No Ritsu. No sleep. Joy. Fucking wonderful. Coffee. I needed coffee. And lots of it. I don’t care what it does to me. I’m getting four shots of espresso in my flat white and the biggest fucking cinnamon roll they got. I need. More than anything. With great hesitancy and all of the regrets, I pushed myself out of bed, threw my uniform on in record time, got my coffee, and headed to Ouran. I can always sleep in homeroom. If all else fails, I can sleep in homeroom.

When I got into homeroom, I sat down and tore the shit out of my cinnamon roll. Breakfast. Sweet, sweet breakfast. In a perfect world, it’d be sleep, but alas, the world is an imperfect place. However, if anyone decides they need to get a little too close to me, they may walk out of here bleeding. That is, if they walk out at all. They may be limping. I threw my coffee down my throat. Why, God? Why does this have to be the way I watch over Ritsu? Why do I need to dance in a Kasanoda owned club? And get off late? 

“Oh my god, Rei!” Hikaru and Kaoru were about to be a fucking newton’s cradle, “What happened to your face?”

“Wow,” I scoffed, “You boys really know how to make a girl feel good, don’t you?”

“We’re serious,” Hikaru dug in his bag.

“Did you get in a fight recently?” Kaoru pulled a mirror out of his own. Not going to ask why he has that. I’ll let them have their narcissism. He put me in front of it. Holy shit…I didn’t get a chance to get a good look at myself this morning before I left. I’m lucky I made it on time. The bruising between my eyes was not exactly a good look for me.

Fortunately, Hikaru handed a pallete off to his brother before I got the chance to answer, “We really should see about getting you security detail.”

“I don’t need it,” I rolled my eyes as they both did their best to cover the evidence, “How do you two know anything about how to cover this shit up?”

“There’s this photographer our mom knows,” Hikaru explained.

“She’s taught us all kinds of things,” Kaoru added, “This is no different than covering up hickeys.”

“I don’t ask about the life you two lead,” I backed off, “Only if you won’t ask about the one I lead.”

“Deal!”

“Hey, guys?” Haruhi joined us, “Any particular reason you’re on top of Rei this morning?”

“The bruises are bad for branding,” they told her.

“Branding?” I perked up, “What do you mean, branding? I’m not hosting today.”

“That’s right,” Hikaru nodded.

“But none of us are,” Kaoru pointed out.

“The host club is closed for the day.”

“Really?” Haruhi hid her excitement, but I knew she was in the same boat I was.

“The host club calendar shoot is today,” Hikaru finished up my contouring. Huh…I have to admit, they didn’t do a half bad job.

“And you need to be there, too, Rei,” Kaoru threw on a quick setting powder.

“Oh, balls,” I leaned back in my chair.

“Look on the bright side,” Hikaru leaned on my left side, “At least you’ll be able to meet our mom today.”

“Yeah!” Kaoru joined him on the right, “And she was nice enough to loan us her regular photographer. I’m sure you’ll love her. She’s American, too.”

“You do realize how big of a country the US is, right?” I wondered, “Just because she’s American doesn’t mean we’ll know each other.”

“I think she said she was from New York,” Hikaru thought it over, “Right?”

“I think so,” Kaoru confirmed.

“Again,” I rolled my eyes, “Do you realize how big New York City is? It’s fucking massive. Which borough is she from? From there, what neighborhood? What block? Like…You need to narrow that shit down.”

“You can ask her yourself,” they chimed, “You’ll be meeting her this afternoon.”

“If it’s at all possible,” Hikaru requested.

“Don’t get too banged up in kendo,” Kaoru finished.

“Ok?” they both got in my face. And not in the way they were in my face before.

“I won’t!” I snapped, “And if you two want to keep your dicks attached, you’ll back the fuck up.”

“Yes ma’am.” God, I love doing that.

But still. Fuuuuuuuuuuck. I don’t want to deal with the host club today. I wanted to go home right after school and get some sleep before work. Now, I have to do a fucking calendar shoot. Fantastic. Can’t wait! I may or may not crack that bottle of Hibiki when I get home…


	19. We Both Know What We Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you beautiful creature. It’s another day of wondrous solitude and endless (yet still limited) possibilities. So, I’m going to be honest here. I went a little off book with this one. Some of it was 100% not outlined. It makes no difference to you. You’re the one reading it. But I’m so glad I did. Because oh, it solidifies my love for a certain someone and you’ll see that shortly. Now, how about you indulge yourself here and I’m going to…I don’t know. Probably go do my Animal Crossing dailies and then, play Paper Mario for another nine hours like I did yesterday…I know. I’m ashamed. K, bye x

Oh, kendo…Usually, you’re my sanctuary in a long, boring, mundane day, but I’m sorry. I can’t give you my full attention today. My face hurts. I’m under strict orders to not fuck anything else up today. And I’m just…Generally exhausted. I needed an out. It’s like Daddy always told me. Sometimes, to get what I want, I’m going to have to play dirty. And lucky for me, I knew the dirtiest trick in the book to get out of anything. Especially when I have a man for my kendo teacher.

“Mendoza,” Sensei looked me over. Despite me being dressed for class, I still sat near the wall, “What are you doing? Find a partner.”

“Can I sit this one out today, Sensei?” I begged, “I don’t think my heart is in it.”

“No.”

“Please?” I hated playing this card, but he left me with no choice, “I have girl cramps and they’re particularly killer today.”

“Fine!” Good. I made him just the right level of uncomfortable. Besides, I don’t think I could find another partner. For the most part, all the other guys in my kendo class were afraid to fight me. They’ve all seen me hand ass out to either Ritsu or Mori on several occasions. No one would wish me on their worst enemies. Or maybe they would. I’ve never had anyone from my kendo class try to hire me out. What a shame…Not that I’d take the job, but it’d be nice if I got asked…At least once in a while.

I sat off to the side, watching everyone go at each other. My heart really wasn’t in it today. I could barely keep my head up. In all seriousness, I kind of wanted to lay down on the tatami and take a nap. The night job is kicking my ass. And I’m going to have to floor it when I get out of the host club. God only knows how long that shoot’s going to last. Hopefully, it won’t be long. If I’m lucky, I’ll be able to sneak in a nap before work. God? You listening? Because I got a big favor to ask. Don’t let the boys be too much for me to handle today. And don’t let this shoot be too long. Because I may be able to get in a little power nap here, that doesn’t mean I’ll be able to deal with their bullshit for very long.

As the final bell rang, I snapped out of my power nap and quickly changed back into my uniform. Maybe if I just…walk the other way…They’ll never know I left. They won’t notice I’m gone. I’ll be in the clear. As long as I can get to my bike lickety split. All I have to do is make a left turn instead of a right one. That’s all it is. And then, I can ball up on my couch for a couple hours, wake up, change into something I can do silks in, and head to Shinjuku. Nothing more…Just one little left turn…

“You know, Reila…” Fuuuuuuuuuuuck, “The music room is the other way.”

“I know,” I grumbled, knowing damn well Kyoya caught me. Of all people…I mean, it could’ve been worse. It could’ve been either the twins or Tamaki and they’d just freak out. At least it’s the most lesser of evils. Who may or may not be the most evil of the bunch. Lawful evil. Not that I’m complaining. Kyoya and I always got along well.

“I’m sure Hikaru and Kaoru told you we have a calendar shoot today, right?”

“Yeah…” I didn’t get it. No one else could give me that guilty feeling quite like Kyoya. Why?

“You weren’t thinking about missing it, were you?”

“No…”

“Wonderful,” Kyoya smiled that big, sadistic grin of his, “Should we walk to the music room together then?”

“Actually,” I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping to get out of this yet. I’ve slipped many a babysitter, bodyguard, and my PA. Kyoya shouldn’t be difficult, “I have something I need to go take care of real quick. I should be there in…”

“No,” he shook his head, taking my hand, “It can wait.”

“But…!”

“It can,” he promised, “Unless you want a certain something getting out.”

“I’ve already told the host club about that.” Kyoya didn’t have a thing on me anymore. I bet that pisses him off to no end, “People know I’m a mafia baby, Kyoya.”

“I know.” Of course he does. Kyoya knows everything about everyone. 

But he doesn’t know I have something on him, too, “Tread lightly, Kyoya. Because I think I have more on you than what you think.”

“Really?” he perked up, “It’s not often someone gets something on me. What do you know?”

“Like I’d tell you.”

“You’re bluffing.”

“Really?” I decided to play dirty, “I know what’s in the black book. It’s missing a page, isn’t it?”

Kyoya froze in his tracks, “How do you know it’s missing a page?”

“Because,” I like having the upper hand. Especially on someone like Kyoya. It’s like I told Daddy. Once we take out the brains, the brawn has nothing to follow. And that’s when I take over the host club. This may or may not be that time, “It’s hanging on the side of my fridge. I need to get a frame for it. It’s kind of sweet. And the concept is nice, too. Although, the story on the page before it was a bit…unsettling.”

“So,” he growled, “You know about my black book…”

“Of course I know,” I rolled my eyes, “Who do you think took your black book in the first place? You really thought I just happened to find it in the hall somewhere? That’s the thing about being me and growing up the way I did. I learned to pickpocket from some of the best. Taking your black book was nothing. Read it from cover to cover that weekend. That was a weird weekend…”

“I…” Kyoya couldn’t even look at me. Got him, “I guess you really do have the upper hand here.”

“So,” I kept my fingers crossed, ready to bring this one home, “Does that mean I get to skip out on the calendar shoot today? And you photoshop me into any group shots?”

“I suppose that’d be our only option…” he let out a heavy sigh, “That is…Unless…There is the other thing.”

“What other thing?”

Kyoya dug the Ouran handbook out of his bag (because of course, that nerd carries around the Ouran handbook) and opened to the student rules, pointing to the highlighted one, “You may need to read this one, Reila. It could interest you.”

_Students having employment outside of Ouran Academy is strictly prohibited, unless a work permit is on file._

“And?” I brushed it off, doing my best to settle my racing heart.

“I don’t think we’ve gotten to know each other very well,” Kyoya put his handbook back and took my hand, “Did you know I have three older siblings?”

“Can’t say I did.” What the fuck does this have to do with anything?

“Well,” he went on, “My oldest brother and my oldest sister are married, but my second oldest brother likes to hang around Shinjuku late at night. Sometimes, he doesn’t exactly frequent the most…Upscale of establishments.”

“So?” Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit, “Why are you telling me this?”

Kyoya moved in a little closer, making sure to keep his voice down, “I know about your job at the Viper Pit. You show great promise, Reila, but never ever think you have something on me. Because chances are, I have something a whole lot worse on you. By the way, my black book? Tamaki edits for me. He’s surprisingly good with sentence structure. He is under an NDA, though, so no one knows he’s been in my black book. And I sell them to the host club clientele under the table. For me, it’d be a couple minutes of embarrassment. But for you? Oh, it’d be so much worse. You get kicked out of Ouran. You end up leaving the country. You have to leave Kasanoda behind…You’re going to have to do better than that.”

Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. I overlook the most obvious rule in the book. Don’t ever let them know you think you have the upper hand. Shame on you, Reila…I thought Daddy taught you better. He did. I just wish it would’ve stuck better. I swallowed my pride and took the L on this one, “So, calendar shoot?”

“That’s the spirit!” Kyoya beamed, taking in the spoils of his victory. His hand went to my shoulder, “No hard feelings, Rei. Really and truly. In a battle of wits, you are an incredibly formidable opponent. But maybe blackmail isn’t your strong suit.”

“Is your brother how you found out about the Viper Pit?” I assumed.

“He saw the promo posters we did for the host club when you first started,” he explained, making a quick stop at the coffee cart, “Can I get a flat white with three shots of espresso, please?”

“Sure!”

“And then, he noticed a striking resemblance between you and his new favorite dancer at the Viper Pit.”

“Can I be honest with you?” I asked.

“Sure,” Kyoya nodded, handing me the cup. God bless him, “I insist.”

“And swear to me you won’t use it against me,” I demanded, “Because this is some real life and death shit.”

“Swear.”

“I’m not working for the club,” I came clean. This may be a dangerous thing to be telling Kyoya, but I had a feeling he had the same secret keeping power as Mori. Although Mori’s is established through more of a sense of loyalty. Kyoya needs to be getting something out of it in order to keep his mouth shut. In this case, it’s me doing this damn calendar, “On paper, yes. I’m totally working for the Viper Pit. But I was sent there by someone we’re going to keep anonymous. I know who runs the club and I’m tailing someone from the syndicate.”

“It’s yakuza owned?”

“It’s yakuza owned,” I confirmed, “Like…To its roots. It’s definitely yakuza owned.”

“Interesting,” Kyoya smirked, “Do you know which syndicate?”

“I do.”

“But you’re not going to tell me, are you?”

“Now, you’re getting it,” I grabbed the door to the music room and sure enough, this place was set up. Lights, backdrops, costumes, they were everywhere. My god…This was ridiculous, even for the host club. But I suppose Kyoya spares no expense when he sets these things up.

“REI!” Dammit, Tamaki…Why do you have to be the first one to find me? Why couldn’t it have been anyone else? As long as he doesn’t spill my flat white, I’ll be happy. But to no surprise, he threw his arms around me like I was his own. Because at this point, I might as well be, “I’m so happy to see you!”

“Tamaki…” I kept as calm as possible, “You need to let me go. Or it is not going to be pretty for you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Good…I still have a little bit of power. Kyoya couldn’t take it all from me. Although, I don’t know how to feel about Tamaki editing smut about himself…That feels like…Beyond textbook narcissism. 

“Rei-chan!” There he is. There’s my little bundle of sunshine. I put my coffee down before Honey could jump into my arms.

“Hi, Honey,” I snuggled him. That precious little face got to me. I hate that it got to me, but dammit, this kid made me human. Honey was like a housecat. Right down to the part where he liked to rub his face on things he liked. Unfortunately, that meant mine. Suddenly, his cheek had a dark smudge on it where it shouldn’t be…And so did I…

“Rei-chan,” he looked up at the bruising around my eye, “What happened?”

“Shh…” I got the rest of Hikaru and Kaoru’s work off Honey’s face, “I know it’s going to need touching up, but don’t tell anyone. I kind of got into a fight.”

“Rei…” Shit…Out of everyone that could’ve found out…It had to be him. Mori took Honey out of my arms and pulled me into his own, “Who did this?”

“Some bitches in Shinjuku last night,” I settled him, “Don’t worry, Mori. I got a few swings in, too. Not the first time my nose has been fixed. Probably won’t be the last. I’m ok.”

“Rei!” the twins sang out, “Come here! We have someone we need you to meet!”

“Rei…” Mori wasn’t letting go of my hand. I could see it in his eyes. He was worried about me. 

“Mori…” I swore, “I’m ok. Really. You don’t need to worry.”

“Ok.” He didn’t like it. I know he didn’t like it. But he also knew I could handle myself if need be.

Then, for some ungodly reason, I walked over willingly to the twins, “What do you guys want?”

“Mom!” Hikaru and Kaoru grabbed me by both arms and dragged me over to this absolutely stunning creature. Holy shit. I mean, I’ve definitely gone to Fashion Week a time or two before, but this bitch looked like she _ran_ it. She looked a lot like Hikaru and Kaoru, only curvier, “We have a friend for you to meet!”

“Oh?” her velvety voice matched the rest of her. Ok. I think I may already love her, “And who’s that, boys?”

“This is our friend, Rei,” Hikaru introduced me.

“She’s the scary one we told you about,” Kaoru added.

“I can see that,” she looked me over, studying everything there was to study about me. And suddenly, her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, “Oh, sweetheart…You are absolutely adorable!”

“Really?” I looked at her strange.

“Really!” she gave me a spin, “Even under the uniform and the smudged concealer job. You give off that…Scrappy, girl gang vibe. And I love it!”

“Well,” I shrugged, “I am scrappy.”

“And you can call me Yuzuha,” she gushed over me, pushing my hair out of my face a little, “So, I’m assuming you come by that bruising honestly.”

“Because of a scrappy girl gang,” I admitted, “Yeah. But I was scrappier.”

“I love her,” Yuzuha pulled me into her arms, shooting a glare at her sons, “Why didn’t you tell me about her sooner?”

“We didn’t know you’d hit it off so easily!” the twins whined.

“I adore you,” Yuzuha melted, “Go get your cover job taken care of, Rei. If you need help, go see my photographer. She can set you up. Where is she?”

“She was bringing in another soft box when I saw her last,” Kaoru told her.

“Hold on,” she took in a deep breath, “Veronica!”

“Yes, Yuzuha?” My heart stopped. That voice…I knew that voice. And sure enough, turning the corner was a tall, leggy blonde that had already stolen my heart like I stole Yuzuha’s. Once we made eye contact, she froze, “Oh my God…”

“Oh my God…” my eyes started welling up. Of all the world renowned photographers in the world Yuzuha could’ve brought with her today…I couldn’t be happier she brought this one. Without another thought, I ran straight into her arms and bawled. I didn’t give a shit if we still had to shoot a calendar today. I didn’t give a shit who saw this. Because it wasn’t about them right now.

“What is this…?” Tamaki wondered, incredibly lost. Big shocker there.

“I’m so sorry, Reila,” Veronica held me tight. And I didn’t want her to let me go, “I’m so sorry…It was too hard to go home.”

“I know,” I let it slide. I didn’t care anymore. I had her. And that’s all that mattered, “I don’t blame you. If I had to deal with that bitch, I wouldn’t want to come home either.”

“Uh…” Hikaru tapped on my shoulder, “Rei?”

“Can you fill us in here?” Kaoru asked.

“It was nice of you guys to introduce me to your mom,” I wiped the tears from under my eyes, “And Yuzuha, it is so wonderful to meet you. But I wasn’t expecting to be able to introduce you guys to my Aunt Veronica today.”

“WE KNEW IT!” the twins squealed, “WE KNEW YOU WOULD KNOW HER!”

“I didn’t think you’d be bringing her here,” I pulled myself together, “Veronica, how in the hell?”

“Yuzuha found me in London,” Veronica explained, “She knew my work and asked me if I’d be her photographer. I’ve been here ever since. But enough about work. We got a lot of catching up to do, kid.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, “Absolutely.”

“How’s Frankie doing?” she asked, “Still running shit like a well-oiled machine?”

“You know how Daddy is,” I brushed her off, “Always hard at work. We recently had a run-in with Victoria, so…His hands were full for a while.”

“Ugh,” Veronica gagged. Because aside from Daddy and me, nobody could understand our hatred for that woman more than Veronica. Before she left for college, Veronica made the mistake of introducing her girlfriend to Victoria. And her coming out was an absolute shit show. She stayed with us for a while when I was little. Her girlfriend wasn’t ready for them to move in together yet, but the relationship was still relatively new. If Victoria knew Mama was still making sure Veronica was being taken care of, she probably would’ve excommunicated Mama from the family, too. But that would’ve meant losing her grips on me. And Mama understood what it was like to get out from under that bitch’s thumb. She had Daddy, didn’t she? And subsequently me. It’s probably been ten years since Victoria and Veronica last spoke, “She’s still a thing?”

“Yeah,” I grumbled, “You’re telling me. You remember that nasty ass court hearing, right?”

“Oh, yeah,” Veronica nodded, “I remember.”

“Well,” I groaned, “She figured taking me now would’ve been a better idea. Long story short, it wasn’t. She tried stirring shit up on the family business end of things, failed miserably, and I’ve been helping Daddy clean the mess up all summer. With the exception of a couple weeks to actually have a vacation.”

“That’s good to hear,” she pulled me back into her shoulder, “I missed you, Reila.”

“I missed you, too,” I couldn’t be upset with her. Even when I was little, I knew what was going on. What can I say? I’m a perceptive little shit.

“I’m all for a family reunion,” Yuzuha chimed in, “But I’m only paying you for the hour, Veronica.”

“Sorry, boss,” Veronica pulled herself together, “After. Got it. What are you doing later tonight, Rei?”

“I have plans,” I bit the inside of my cheek. Veronica would understand. It’s just…Some things don’t need to be said in mixed company, “But after this, I’m free. Why?”

“Coffee?”

“Coffee.” This woman knew the way to my heart. Always. And now, I couldn’t wait to get this damn photoshoot done.


	20. Home Away From Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. How are we? Quick check-in. Have you had any water today? Have you eaten? If you take any medications, have you taken them yet? Have you showered? Are you in need of a hug? Bring it in, bitch. Me, too. As for my answers to these questions:  
> -I have not drank any water today, but I’ve also got a Monster on my desk.  
> -I haven’t eaten. It’s noon. I probably should.  
> -I don’t take any medications. Although, I am incredibly undiagnosed.  
> -I have showered. And I smell lovely.  
> -And for that hug, I don’t need it anymore. I got you guys. We’ve hugged already. Hey…I love you. Someone cares about you. *chu* Now, go on. There’s a whole update ready for you. Whenever you’re ready for it, you’re more than welcome to it.

I’m…Done. I’m so fucking done. Thirty different costume changes. Four poses for each one. And my incredibly strained back. That’s how I’m coming out of this fucking photoshoot. If only Kyoya didn’t know about my side hustle. But this was a blessing in disguise. I didn’t think I’d bet Veronica back so soon. And because of a host club calendar shoot, of all things! Worth it. Totally worth it. I just wish I didn’t have to be blackmailed into it. Although, because Kyoya knows from his brother, it’s going to make work interesting tonight.

“Hey, Rei…” Speak of the devil…Kyoya came up to me, “Could I ask you a question?”

“You can’t have my soul,” I told him, “I’ve been baptized and I’m pretty sure someone has already called dibs.”

“Not what I was going to ask,” he promised, “That picture from our Disneyland trip…Do you still have it?”

“It’s on my fridge,” I nodded, “Why? Are we finally getting t-shirts?”

“No,” he shook his head, “But it is making the calendar. Send it to me as soon as possible.”

“Will do!” That one will be my favorite. And I’m glad I just bent over backwards for this shoot just to have the fucking Disneyland picture take precedence.

“Yo! Rei!” Veronica called for me, “Come on! We should get going.”

“Ok!” I sent my love to my friends and took off with Veronica.

“I’m sure your dad set you up with a driver,” Veronica figured, “You mind? I came here with Yuzuha and she’s already taken off.”

“Funny you say that,” I threw my leg over my bike, “Get on.”

“That’s my girl,” she gladly climbed on. I knew the one place we could both use more than anything. Mama didn’t like it when Veronica would give me coffee, but it always put me at ease. And I loved her for it. However, I needed the caffeine boost for tonight. God forbid I’m not at peak performance when I take the stage tonight. A couple shots of espresso should do it…At least I hope so. I didn’t have a super high energy routine planned for tonight, but still…Just in case the crowd gets rough, hitting them with the ol’ razzle dazzle doesn’t hurt.

“So, Reila…” Veronica sat across from me, “Of all the places I could’ve bumped into you, I never would’ve thought it’d be a prep school in Japan. What the hell are you doing here?”

“Daddy wanted me safe,” I explained, “Some shit was being stirred up with the families back home and if something would’ve happened to me in the process, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. So, he sent me here. And I’ve been here off and on since last year. What about you? What are you doing in Japan?”

“I’ve been living the life of a nomad,” she sighed out, “I was bouncing around Europe for a while, picking up freelance gigs wherever I could get them just to keep food in my stomach. Then, I met Yuzuha in London and the rest was history. It’s pretty great, kid. I’d recommend it to everyone. At least once. But enough about me. How have you been?”

“I mean…” I knew what she was getting at. Veronica was never one to shy away from checking in on my mental state, “Lately, I’ve been pretty good. Last time I was in New York, I went to visit Mama and apparently, Daddy told me I was more like her than he thought.”

“You are a lot like your mom,” Veronica chuckled to herself, “Fuck, I miss her.”

“Me, too,” I couldn’t agree more, “But there is kind of a silver lining here.”

“What’s that, sweetie?”

“I got you,” I beamed, “Damn, Veronica, I missed you, too.”

“I wish I could’ve gone to the funeral, Rei,” Veronica started apologizing again, “Really, I do. But I knew damn well that wasn’t going to be pretty. Even our mutual grieving wouldn’t be able to bring us back together. But good riddance. Fuck her.”

“Preach,” I gave her the most thunderous of high fives. And well deserved. There’s no love lost between Veronica and Victoria.

Ring, ring.

That was me…A beautiful picture of the Spanish sunset lit up my screen. And my face. Veronica smiled a bit, “And who would that be?”

“My man,” I slid my finger across my screen, “Hey, baby.”

“Hey,” Ritsu sounded like he just woke up from a nap. He’s so cute when he’s all grumbly and sleepy. Like a bear cub. But at the same time, he worried me.

“Is everything ok?” my radar went up. Remember, Rei. Trust him. No matter what he says. Let him come to you if something’s fucked.

“Yeah,” he swore, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine. Just thought I’d check in. What about you?”

As much as I wanted to tell him about the incident in Shinjuku, I didn’t need him worrying about me. Or asking what the hell I was doing in Shinjuku, “I’m good. You know, it’s the weirdest thing. I got family in town and didn’t even know it.”

“Really?” Ritsu awed, “And I’m missing out? Well, send Frankie my love anyway.”

“I never said it was Daddy,” I clarified, “Don’t worry, though. I’m sure he’d love to hear from you anyway. But you’ll meet her once you get back. I’m sure you will. How much longer are you going to be in town?”

“I…” Veronica checked her day planner. Yes. Her paper day planner. She always said she didn’t trust electronics to manage her schedule. Too many opportunities for it to get fried. Her archaic sensibilities were adorable, “I can stick around until the weekend, but I’m on the first flight out on Friday. I got a wedding to take care of in New Zealand.”

“Lucky you!” I squeaked, “And Ritsu…?”

“Still here.”

“When are you getting back to town?” I wondered, “Still Wednesday?”

“That seems to be the projection,” Ritsu confirmed.

“Then,” I thought it over, “How about Thursday after school?”

“Good for me,” Veronica agreed.

“Are you sure?” Ritsu worried. He knew how Mama’s side of the family could be. He’s met her mother.

“Yeah,” I nodded, “I’m sure.”

“Reila,” Ritsu demanded, “I want you to say the safe word if you’re in danger.”

“I’m fine, Ritsu,” I promised, “Really, I’m good. She’s one of the good ones.”

“Ok,” I think I got him to calm down just a little, “I have to go, baby. The old man’s on his way back.”

“Ok,” I wasn’t going to hold him up any more, “Aishiteru.”

“Te amo.”

Click.

Fuck, I miss him…

“That’s your man?” Veronica teased.

“Oh, yeah,” I melted inside, “That’s my man.”

“He sounds cute,” she figured, “You got a picture?”

“I got a couple,” I scrolled through my pictures in my phone and got the one from my birthday that Abuelita took of the two of us. Damn, we were cute that night, “Here.”

“Oh, my…” Veronica looked him over, “And he’s your age?”

“Yeah,” I giggled, “I know. He’s scored us booze a time or two.”

“What a sweetheart,” she awed. But then, she looked at the picture a little closer, “Wait a second. Where is this taken?”

“Back home,” I told her, “This was my sixteenth birthday party.”

“And this gentleman in the background,” Veronica wondered, “He looks awfully familiar. That wouldn’t be Frankie, would it?”

“Who else would it be?” I shrugged, “Yeah, that’s Daddy. Oh my god, Veronica…You should see those two together. It’s so damn cute.”

“Really?” I thought Veronica’s eyes were going to fall out of her head, “Frankie’s finally letting the shields down on his little girl?”

“You really have been away for a while,” I scoffed, “Yes. Daddy has come around to the thought that his little girl is also an independent young woman capable of making her own choices. This one just happened to be one he can totally get on board with. According to Ritsu, if he were to ask him for my hand tomorrow, it’s likely he’d say yes. Daddy treats Ritsu like he’s already part of the family. If he had his way, I’m sure Ritsu would already be inducted.”

“And…” Veronica kept her eyes on the picture, “Does he know what being part of the family means in your case?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “It didn’t freak him out, though. He has no right to judge. He’s in the same boat.”

“Aww…” she melted inside, “I’m so glad the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. That makes me unbelievably happy. Your boyfriend’s local mafia?”

“Shh…” I settled her, “Yeah. He’s local mafia.”

“I…Love it,” Veronica applauded, “You make your mother proud.”

“God, I hope so,” I sighed out, “Speaking of things that make my mother proud, I need to get going.”

“And where the hell do you think you’re going, young lady?” she gasped, “I feel like I just got here and now, you’re leaving me?”

“I have to get to work,” I caught a glimpse of the clock on my phone. If I’m not there in the next half hour, I’m fucked. And I can’t lose this job.

“Work?” Veronica looked at me like I was on drugs, “What could you possibly be doing for work?”

“I work in Shinjuku,” I wrote down the address for the Viper Pit, “If you want, you could come check out my show tonight.”

“You’re performing?!” she squeaked, “And in clubs, no less? Rei! I’m so proud of you!”

“Jesus Christ, Veronica!” I snapped, doing my best to keep her contained, “That’s not exactly something the world can know! Yeah. I work at a club in Shinjuku called the Viper Pit. If you want to see what I do for work, that’s where I’ll be tonight until midnight.”

“Until midnight?” Veronica asked, “Don’t you have school in the morning, though?”

“I manage,” I grumbled. By a thread, but I do manage.

“Alright,” she let it go. If anyone could understand the amount of sleepless nights put into one’s craft, it’s Veronica. She wasn’t going to push it, “So, Shinjuku, huh? What time are you on?”

“Nine,” I told her, “Primetime slot. Just during the week, though. I got weekends off.”

“Lucky you.”

“Well,” I threw my arms around her, “Not for nothing, but I really do need to get going.”

“Alright,” Veronica kissed the top of my head, “I’ll see you tonight, sweetie.”

“See you tonight,” I grabbed my back and hightailed it to my penthouse.

Before I get to the club tonight, I needed to find better wardrobe. I didn’t have much for loose clothing. Everything was always skintight and looked like it was painted on. But that’s the way I liked it. Since I was doing something slow and low energy, yet still incredibly seductive, I needed something to pull it all together. Maybe I could just show up in a corset and some garters and call that a night. No. I didn’t need to be half naked onstage.

But then, the dress I stole from the lost and found in Karuizawa hung in the back of my closet. I bet if I picked up some tulle from a craft store on the way. I could totally do this. I got this. I just needed to shorten the skirt a little more. And the tulle will pop it out a little more. Beautiful. I have this. After a quick trip to the craft store and a few hundred yen out of my pocket, I started heading for Shinjuku. Granted, I was only a couple minutes late, but I’m sure it won’t be too terribly busy in here. It’s a Tuesday night.

“You’re late, Reina,” Shiro scolded me. I knew I was going to catch shit.

“I’m sorry,” I winced, already on my way to the back, “I had to make a quick stop and found out I have family in town in a very short span of each other. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

“It better be.” I ran into one of the dressing rooms on my search for Minako. I’m…Incredibly sweaty. I wish I wasn’t so fucking sweaty. And tired. I’m so tired.

“Jesus Christ, Reina,” Minako looked me over, worried as all hell, “Are you feeling ok, sweetie?”

“I’m fine,” I could feel my heart about to race out of my chest. Fuck yeah, the espresso’s kicking in! I may need to amp up tonight’s routine.

“Are you sure?” she wiped the sweat from my forehead, “You look like you don’t feel good.”

“I’m fine,” I promised, “Really. I appreciate the concern, but I’m alright.”

“Did you do a line of coke recently?” Minako kept a close eye on me.

“No,” I shook my head, “Really, Minako. I’m fine. Do me up. I need to get out there.”

“What you need is some sort of downers,” she worried, “Don’t get me wrong. Love the enthusiasm, but you need to relax. If you start overdosing, let someone know.”

“I will,” I swore, “But I’m just really jacked on caffeine. I need to get out there, Minako!”

“Alright,” Minako backed off. I felt bad for sassing her, but she understood, “Let’s get you taken care of then…”


	21. Gangsta Sexy

Once I finished my costume, I was beyond ready. And if I do say so myself, I look fucking adorable. Instead of the little straightener curls she gave me last night, Minako gave me little pigtails. Now, I look like a five year old with a vicious mean streak. The kid in class that parents tell their kids to stay away from because she has a biting problem. The short tulle skirt and the big, fluffy eyelashes really tied it all together. It’ll make for a nice juxtaposition between the costume and the song choice.

Originally, I was going to go with something slow and easy. But a bitch caught a second wind and a lot of espresso. This calls for something with a little extra energy. I gave the audio guy my phone and turned on a little jam called Gangsta Sexy. If that’s not me to a fucking tee. Other than my obvious connections on two…three different continents, I’ve made a name for myself. Since day one with no fear. Daddy always told me not to ever show fear. Especially when I’m in a hotbed of yakuza activity. But reputation was everything. And I had mine to protect.

Once the music started, I could feel it in the pit of my soul. I ran out to the knot tied in my silks and swung back and forth for a while. Then, I started getting into some flips. Big ones. Ones that, if I wasn’t so espresso drunk, I’d be scared shitless. But I knew what I was doing. I tossed myself in the air, dropped down into splits and fan kicks, and spins like fucking crazy. A bitch came to play tonight. If this routine doesn’t get me a little notoriety, nothing will.

However, in the middle of my routine, I noticed Shiro had considerably straightened up. He’s twitchy. Why is he twitchy? Maybe because of the big dude behind the bar. It’s funny. Shiro has that same look on his face our new guys back home would get when they’d stand toe to toe with Daddy for the first time. It’s kind of cute. Then, big guy started watching me. Actually, in what little light he had on him, he’s not too bad to look at. I mean, I could tell he was older…but he’s a hot older. Damn, big dude. I see you.

And he kept his eyes on me. Every move I made, his eyes were glued. Ok. That’s why people come here. Watch the pretty dancers do what they do so well. I couldn’t lose focus. If I lose focus, that’s when I slip, fall, and hurt myself. That’s not a good idea when I’m so high in the air. Go on. Watch the pretty dancer on her pretty ribbons dancing to a song that suits her better than you will ever know. For my final move, I climbed to the top and let myself roll down to the bottom. 

Damn, that was fun! I haven’t had a good routine like that in forever. I took my final bows and climbed into my cage. Ok. I need to hang out here for a while. The caffeine is starting to wear off and my crash is kicking my ass. Something tells me if I get caught sleeping up here, I’ll get horribly bitched at. No, thank you. On the plus side, I have a better vantage point to keep an eye on my new superfan. Hold on…Where the hell did homeboy go?

Shit…I lost him. That’s too bad. Easy come, easy go. Still, I wonder why he got Shiro all jumpy. Oh, well. What a shame. Don’t get me wrong. Only two men had my heart and I don’t think he’d be one of them, but I can still admire a good-looking piece of art without touching it. Besides, there’d be no way in hell I’d ever cheat on Ritsu, let alone with someone from here. I’m not taking one of them home like a stray puppy. Knowing my luck, that puppy would have rabies or some shit. And I am not dealing with that shit. Not tonight. Not tomorrow either.

Tap, tap.

The bottom of my cage ran. Look at that. I didn’t find homeboy, but homeboy found me. Come on, Rei. Head in the game. Turn on those host club charms you’ve perfected over the last year. I got down to the bottom of my cage and gave him a little smile, “Hi.”

“Hi,” his deep rumbly voice echoed through my chest. My god, this guy’s been smoking three packs a day for the last twenty years. I like it. He passed up a bottle of water through the bars, “Here.”

“Thank you so much!” I awed. Daddy didn’t raise an idiot. I put the bottle up to my ear and listened for the seal. By the sounds of it, I’m the one to break it. The cap didn’t have any punctures in it. All of my checks were done with the utmost discretion. I think it’s safe. Good. He’s not trying to poison me. Just considerate. What a guy, “I needed that.”

“You’re welcome,” he gave me a nod, “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

Oh, I didn’t like that. I didn’t like that one bit, sir. Still, I kept my game face on, “Not sweetheart.”

“You are the real deal,” he gasped, “It’s Reina, isn’t it?”

“That’s me,” I laid on my belly. The nice, cold metal will never not be appreciated. Especially after a set like that.

“That was quite the display up there.”

“Thanks,” I gave him a sweet little smile. That’s right. Come climb into my web. Come see what I can do.

“Tell you what,” he suggested, “How about a real drink?”

“No, thanks,” I shot him down. The drink from Ranka was one thing. This guy? He’s a different monster. He gives off a vibe that I can’t quite put my finger on. I’ve never met him before, but it felt kind of familiar, “I’m good.”

“What?” he wondered, “Don’t drink?”

“Not really,” I shook my head, knowing damn well there was a bottle of Hibiki waiting for me on my kitchen counter.

“That’s fine, too,” he allowed, popping open the door on my cage, “Come on. Let’s get out of here for a while.”

“I can’t do that,” I shot him down, checking for a bouncer, “I’m working. I get off at midnight.”

“You get off when I tell you to.” Ok. Someone’s got the big pair on him. Normally, I’d respect that kind of drive, but…This is starting to make me a little uncomfortable. I couldn’t find a nearby bouncer and Veronica was off to the side with one of the other dancers. By the looks of it, she’s putting the moves on. Good for her. I thought she had her girlfriend yet, but maybe I’m wrong. 

I took great comfort in the fact that the knife in my garter belt was no prop. If all else fails, I may need to cut a mother fucker, “What do you mean?”

“This is my club, little bluebird,” the man had a dirty smirk on his face. And all of the tumblers fell into place. Oh, shit…This isn’t…This can’t be…No fucking way. He stuck his hand out to me, “Ryoichi Kasanoda. Why don’t you come out of your cage for me, ok?”

My stomach dropped to my feet. Oh, fuck…Oh, fuck…Oh, fuck. No. Rei…Relax. Remember what Daddy said. Don’t let him see you sweat. This isn’t my first boss I’ve talked with. Likely not my last. I brought myself down enough to the point where I could formulate a proper sentence and took his hand, “Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kasanoda. If it’s all the same to you, maybe we could have a drink.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” This will be so much easier to deal with when I got a little bit of a buzz. No wonder I thought he was hot. He’s just an older Ritsu. And…well…I wouldn’t turn Ritsu away if his car broke down and his phone died. Wait…If Ryoichi’s here…Does that mean someone’s home early? A girl could hope, “What’s your poison, Reina?”

“Hibiki, straight up,” I told him. That was come good shit when I had it at Roy’s wedding. And it didn’t quite kick my ass. However, it put me in a good place for a while.

“Someone’s got expensive tastes,” Ryoichi ordered our drinks, “More importantly, I heard there was a new girl stirring up some buzz in the area. Imagine my surprise when I find out she’s one of mine.”

“Would you believe she’s self-taught?” I took a good sip from my whiskey. Oh, fuck yeah…That’s the good-good.

“All that?” he looked at me in disbelief, “That’s self-taught?”

“For the most part, yeah,” I nodded.

“You know…” Ryoichi’s hand went to my cheek, his thumb running across the top of my cheekbone, “You’re pretty cute, Reina.”

“I know,” I slowly backed off. Just enough to shoot him down, but not enough to alarm him, “I got really killer genetics.”

“And you think awfully highly of yourself.” Oh, he didn’t like that. Too bad. He’s the one that made the mistake of telling me something I already knew.

“You’re the one who said I was cute,” I shrugged him off. I knew this guy’s reputation, but he didn’t scare me. And I think that might have pissed him off a little.

Ryoichi grabbed a hold of my jaw, squeezing it a little. Not enough to put me in too much pain, but just enough to send a message. Oh, yeah. This guy’s the real deal, too, “And you’re awfully mouthy, too.”

“Um…Boss?” Shiro stepped in, all meek and mousy, “I hate to break this up, but don’t you think this shouldn’t be done in front of the customers?”

“You’re right,” his grip loosened, “Besides, you wouldn’t be much fun if you weren’t. I’m glad you’re here, my new pretty bluebird. Why don’t you get back to work? Not that this wasn’t nice, but I got other business I need to get back to.”

“Yes, sir,” I nodded, slamming the rest of my drink and getting up from my barstool. I wasn’t drunk, but my steps weren’t exactly as steady as they once were. Damn, Hibiki works fast.

“It was nice meeting you, Reina,” Ryoichi smiled with a particular glint in his eyes, “Welcome aboard.”

And as quickly as he came into my life, he was gone. And I needed to throw up. Fortunately, it was coming to the end of my shift and I’d be able to go home soon. So…That’s Ryoichi…For starters, damn, Kiyomi, you got taste. He may look like he could kill a man with his bare hands (and, if we’re being honest, probably has), but he’s a charming motherfucker. Hairline trigger temper, but I know someone else like that. And that hasn’t scared me away yet. You intrigue me, Ryoichi. And something tells me I should worm my way into your pocket as soon as I can.

“Hey, Rei!” Veronica squeaked, bouncing over to my cage.

“Hey,” I got down to her level.

“Who was the guy at the bar chatting you up?” she teased, “I thought you had a boyfriend. And I don’t see you as the type to be into older guys. Maybe a year or two like the kid in the picture, but he seemed like he might have had a couple decades on you.”

“He did,” I confirmed, “But shut up, Veronica. He’s kind of the big boss around here. And there are certain things he doesn’t need to know. Like my relationship status. Or who I’m with.”

“Oh!” Veronica figured it out, “So…Are you saying he’s like Frankie around here?”

“Exactly…” I climbed out of my cage as the clock struck midnight, “I need to go make a phone call. Are you going to be ok here by yourself?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m by myself,” she glanced over her shoulder at a purple haired dancer that was grinding on her leg before, “Suki. She’s cute. Can you get me her number?”

“What about you and Tessa?” I asked, “Are you two not a thing anymore?”

“Can’t say we are,” Veronica sighed out, “I miss her, but that’s not going to happen again. Suki, on the other hand? I think we could talk something out. Nothing a quick trip to the champagne room won’t fix.”

“Stay safe…” I walked outside with my phone in my hand. Come on. Pick up…

“Hi, Rei,” Ritsu answered, putting me in the best place, “What’s up?”

“Where are you right now?” I cut to the chase. I needed to know. If Ryoichi’s here, Ritsu can’t be too far behind…Right?

“A hotel in Okinawa…?” he sounded confused, “Why?”

“Are you sure?” I held onto hope, “You’re not…back in town? Not waiting to surprise me at home?”

“No,” Ritsu went on high alert, “Rei…What’s going on? Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” I sighed out, my heart in two, “I’m fine. I love you.”

“Reila,” he wasn’t having it, “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

“It’s nothing,” I promised, “Really, Ritsu. I’m fine. There’s nothing going on here. Everything’s fine. I saw someone tonight that I thought might have been you, but…You’re still in Okinawa.”

“Hey…” Ritsu settled himself, “If it makes you feel any better, I’ll be home tomorrow night. How about when I get back, we go sit in the ramen shop? That is, if I’m not back too terribly late.”

“Sounds like a plan to me,” my heart melted. Fuck, I miss that boy.

“Yeah?” he hoped, “Can you hang on until then?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Hey,” Ritsu thought, “You’ve been…Ok…since I’ve been gone, right, Rei?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “I’m ok. Other than the usual host club shenanigans and them sticking their noses where they don’t belong. They’re exhausting, Ritsu…”

“I know, baby,” he awed, “I know. One more day. Ok? Then, the overnight trip, a bottle of Hibiki, and the most wicked sex ever had on an Ouran overnight trip. Deal?”

“Deal,” I smiled.

“Te amo, cariño…”

“Kariña,” I corrected him, “I’m not a dude.”

“Who would’ve been the dumbass to make that mistake?”

“You’d be that dumbass,” I think I might cry. No. No tears. Not here, “Pero te amo tambien, corazon.”

“Te amo mas…”

Click.

That little shit…I missed him so much. It broke my heart that he didn’t come along with Ryoichi, but maybe it’s for the best that he didn’t see me dancing in the club. He’s going to fucking kill me when he finds out, but I do have ulterior motives here. If he finds out, then he finds out. I refuse to drag Kiyomi down with me. That’s not happening. However, I’m exhausted and I want to go home so damn bad. Yet, Veronica came stumbling out of the Viper Pit after me.

“Hey, Rei!” she threw an arm around my shoulders, “The night is still young.”

“And so am I,” I steadied her, “I have class in the morning. My ass is going home.”

“Fine, buzzkill,” Veronica pouted, “You wouldn’t be able to point me in the direction of somewhere fun, would you?”

“Just down the street,” I directed her, “There’s a drag bar. It’s pretty great.”

“Thank you, my dear niece,” she kissed my cheek, “Sleep well.”

Sleep fast would be more like it. If I could sleep at all. Tomorrow night…


	22. It Won't Be Long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *smiles* Hello, lovelies…
> 
> It’s a good day. Do you know why? Well, I’ll let Rei explain it in a second, but before I do, for those of you who don’t know or maybe aren’t keeping up with the rest of the week, I’ve been livestreaming on Instagram for the last few weeks and it’s been a great deal of fun. This week, I’m doing a live reading of a previously unreleased 2p!Hetalia fic I’ve been toying with off and on for the last month or so, but I also have something else that might be related to this mess you’ve tangled yourself up in. It’s at 9PM US Central time. I’ll be going live a little earlier for the sake of voyeurism, but my IG handle is LumiOlivier. You’re more than welcome to come hang out with me. I’m not going to stop you. My livestreams get chaotic sometimes. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go back into the kitchen because I have water on the stove and a pack of ramen calling my name. Love you x

Is it me or is today going to be a good day? Because I have a sneaky suspicion that today’s one of those days that are just going to be great. When I woke up this morning, I couldn’t keep a smile off my face. Gee…I wonder why that could possibly be. I don’t know. Maybe the sun is shining just a little brighter. Maybe there’s a little extra spring in my step. Maybe I have Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows on a loop in my brain. I know _something_ had to bring this on. Especially since things have been kind of stormy clouds lately. It’s nice to feel the sun on my skin again. I may have gotten shit for sleep last night, but I still couldn’t contain my pure joy. Must have a predisposition for a good day.

I got out of bed, threw on my uniform, and headed out the door, skipping to the elevator. Even whistling a little. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I was in such a good fucking mood today. I checked my phone and looked at the date. It’s going to be a good Wednesday. Halfway through the week. The overnight trip is Friday. Everything is just…It’s fucking fantastic. What the hell has gotten into me? It’s not what’s gotten into me. It’s what _will_ be getting into me. It’s been a rough couple days, but dammit, I earned this. 

When I got to school, I parked my bike in the parking lot, hung my helmet on the handlebars, and spun my keys around on my finger. All I needed now was a quick stop at the coffee cart. Because I still slept like shit last night and need exuberant amounts of caffeine to maintain my manic highs my body needs to function! My flat white, a few shots of espresso, and now, I’m off to homeroom. Even the few hellos I got from host club regulars didn’t get to me today. Nothing could ruin my day. This side of me losing a limb. I could lose a finger or two, though. Wouldn’t even put a dent in pissing me off right now. Everything is truly sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.

“Morning, boys,” I chimed, nestling into my seat.

Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged concerned glances, “Engage emergency checking protocols!”

“What?” I sat patiently through their battery of tests.

“She doesn’t feel like she has a fever,” Hikaru’s hand rested on my forehead.

“And her reflexes are fine,” Kaoru ran his finger up the bottom of my foot.

“Don’t do that,” I giggled, jerking my foot back, “That tickles.”

“Hold on,” Hikaru took my coffee and popped the lid on it. First, he smelled it. Then, he took a small drink from it. Probably not a good idea. And the violent coughing fit afterward proved it, “Strong…”

“Of course,” I scoffed, “What’s the point of drinking coffee if it’s going to be weak as shit?”

“Rei…” Kaoru took over, “How did you sleep last night?”

“No different than any other night.” They didn’t need to know I don’t get much of that these days because of my night job. They don’t need to be asking questions.

“Did you see a large group of senior citizens fall over?” Hikaru wondered.

“Nope,” I shook my head, “Can’t say I did.”

“Did you kill someone recently?” Kaoru asked.

“Not recently.”

“Kicked Tamaki-senpai in the nuts this morning?” Hikaru figured.

“No.”

“Then, it was Kyoya-senpai,” Kaoru leaned to his brother, “Yeah?”

“Had to be,” Hikaru agreed, “None of the usual host club guests would do that.”

“Unless it was Haruhi,” Kaoru thought, “But she wouldn’t do that either.”

“No,” Haruhi joined us, “My dad told me he wanted grandkids. Why are we talking about what happened with Tamaki-senpai this morning?”

“It’s not necessarily that,” Hikaru explained, “There’s something off about Rei.”

“She’s been overly pleasant,” Kaoru added, “I got it! You were replaced by a Rei from an alternate universe.”

“Sorry,” I laughed a bit, “Can’t say that one either.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Haruhi already had it figured out. Don’t get me wrong. Hikaru and Kaoru were cutie pies when they wanted to be, but sometimes, their elevators weren’t seeing the penthouse suite.

“Enlighten us, Haruhi,” they insisted, “What’s got Rei so happy?”

“She hasn’t been able to sit still or wipe the smile off her face since we saw her,” Haruhi pointed out, “Only one thing can make her do that.”

“We already asked about her killing someone,” Hikaru told her, “And seeing if any old people fell over.”

“She said no to both of them,” Kaoru pouted, “We’re stumped.”

“Kasanoda’s coming back today,” Haruhi smiled with me, “I’m right, aren’t I, Rei?”

“You couldn’t be more right,” I beamed, “Ritsu’s supposed to be home some time tonight. He said if it’s not too late, we’re meeting at the ramen shop. And goddamn, I could go for some ramen. Especially from the ramen shop. I’m so fucking excited for tonight. And definitely for the overnight trip.”

“What’s the overnight trip have anything to do with it?” Haruhi wondered.

“We’re going to be making up for some lost time,” I swooned, sudden flashbacks to the coat closet at Roy’s engagement party ran through my head. And that bottle of Hibiki…It’s going to be a good weekend, “Tell me Tamaki doesn’t have some kind of harebrained idea that we’re running another pop-up café again.”

“That’s for Tamaki-senpai to decide,” Hikaru shrugged.

“We haven’t heard anything about it,” Kaoru admitted.

“You know what?” I slumped back in my chair, “I don’t care. Let him. Have him shoot it down. I could give two shits less.”

“Hey, Rei,” Hikaru flanked my left, “Since you’re in such a good mood today…”

“Are you stopping by the host club after school?” Kaoru flanked my right. And the two of them sandwiched me with zero regard for my personal space. But then again, if they were going to do it, now would be a good time. Take advantage of my good mood, boys.

“I can’t,” I shot them down, “I got shit to do after school. Ritsu’s coming home and I need to make special preparations for that. But I appreciate the invitation. Maybe some other time.”

“Boo!”

“Hey, Rei,” Haruhi approached with caution, “Not to be the downer on your good mood today, but are you going to tell Kasanoda about what happened with your eye?”

“There’s nothing to tell,” I brushed it off, “Besides, it’s fine now. It’s not like it hurts anymore. It doesn’t even swell. The bruising has faded enough to where I can cover it up with no problem. Like I said, nothing to tell. It happened. Nothing I could do about it.”

“But…”

The bell rang and we all got up from our seats, “Hikaru, Kaoru?”

“Yes, ma’am?” they both sang out.

“Kiss the boys for me,” I gave them a wave. 

As the day went on, I couldn’t help but stare down that clock. Come on, you prick. Move faster. I miss my Ritsu and I need him back in my life. Don’t get me wrong. Hearing his voice from time to time was nice, but damn, it’d be nice for us to have some skin to skin contact again. Because fuck, I miss him. Even when I got to kendo, I started getting slightly turned on. And that’s without fighting him. Instead, I sat class out yet again. My regular sparring partner wasn’t there and all of the others were afraid to fight me. I mean, I know Ritsu’s going to be getting back late, but hopefully, he’ll be back by the time I get off work tonight.

Once that final bell ran, I headed straight home. I needed to pull myself together enough to where I won’t have to do any touchups when I come back tonight. Let’s see…What to do, what to do. I stared into my closet and as much as I’d love to do some quick shopping, I didn’t have that kind of time. I’ve gotten better about it and I’m proud of myself. I felt like doing something fun tonight for my set, so I needed an outfit that had a lot of movement. Unfortunately, a lot of my wardrobe was skintight, so I might have to make some alterations to what I wore last night…No. Fuck it. I can make skintight work, too.

Short leather shorts will never ever fail me. And even though my tits had yet to come in, I threw on a lowcut tank top that almost showed a little something, something. Alright, bitch. You’re on the platter, but you’re not quite serving yet. I ran into my bathroom and started working on my face. It’s not like I needed to do much. My eye wasn’t too dark anymore. If someone were to get up close enough, sure, there’s still a little bruising, but I was alright. And it’s not like Minako had my foundation yet anyway. Makeup took no time at all. And I have to give Minako something to do.

Alright, me. I’m cute as hell, happy as a fucking clam, and can hardly contain my genuine excitement. Let’s get to work! I threw my leg over my bike and headed for Shinjuku. When I walked into the Viper Pit, I had some heads turning. Particularly Shiro’s. I mean, all I did when I got home was get dressed and punch my highlights up a little bit. The purple was fading and I had a little bit of blue in the bottle. Why not? The two mixed together quite nicely, if I do say so myself.

“Hiya, boss,” I gave Shiro a little nod on my way in.

“Hi, Reina,” Shiro looked me over, “You seem to be in high spirits today. What’s the occasion?”

“It’s a good day,” I shrugged, basking in the chorus of whistles from regulars that I have no doubt fell in love with me. I’m not surprised. Nor am I complaining. Now, if I were a Minako, where would I be? Oh, Reila…You silly, silly girl. Where else would she be? I walked into her usual dressing room, “Hi, Minako.”

“Hi, Reina,” she looked at me through the mirror, “Holy shit, kid. You are making my job easy tonight.”

“You’re the second person to tell me that,” I chirped. Oh, it is a good day to be me, “I have so much energy now. Thanks, Minako.”

“What’s the occasion?” Minako gave me her chair, “Hot date tonight?”

“No.” God willing, yes, but we don’t talk about Rei’s personal life outside the club, “I didn’t want to put you out. Is that so bad?”

“You’re not a problem, honey,” she gushed, finishing up my makeup for me, “But if you’re coming in here looking like this, I’m guessing you have big plans for your set tonight.”

“I wouldn’t say big plans…” It’s after my set that I have big plans.

I couldn’t wait to get onstage tonight. I had a feeling in my heart that needed to come out. Now, I know what some may be thinking. Oh, Rei’s missing Ritsu. It’s going to be something along that vein. No, no, no, my friend. That’s when you’d be wrong. As much as I’ve loved being back in Tokyo again, it was getting to be that time of the year again where I start to get homesick. And with Ritsu being gone, I’ve been thinking back to our time over the summer in the ancestral home. And I was kind of feeling a throwback. I’m not sure how a little bit of Latin flavor’s going to go over in a club in Shinjuku, but they’ll have to learn to live with it.

When I was little, I could faintly remember the nights of me passing out in Daddy’s lap with my head on the body of his guitar. The old man taught him to play shortly after he hooked up with our syndicate. According to Daddy, the old man played for me, too. Photographic proof and everything. But Daddy could pull out some of the most beautiful riffs that were definitely from the homeland. And he pulled off nothing better than Maria, Maria. 

Something about the guitar in that song will always have a special place in my heart. Whether the acoustic or the electric. It was food for my soul. There’s something sexy in that riff. And it brought that out in me more than anything. Between the riff and the beat, that’s where the magic was. I could flip and spin and seduce the men like nobody’s business to that. And I did. Although, a line in that song always got to me. _Me and Maria on the corner, thinking of ways to make it better._ It always reminded me of Mama and Daddy. That’s the way they always were. It’s half the reason why Daddy told the old man he wanted to take over for him if something were to ever happen. And…well…Now, look at him. There’s no one in the greater New York City area who either doesn’t know who he is or doesn’t respect him. And it’s all in the name of trying to make things better.

By the time I was done, I needed to go up in the cage. A bitch needed a break. I know I should put a hundred percent of myself into everything I do, but damn, I need to learn to occasionally phone some of that shit in. I don’t want to be tired when I get my hands on Ritsu again. But I knew that was a little too optimistic. So, I climbed back into my usual cage and sat on the swing for a while. As long as I don’t fall asleep, I should be golden.

Tap, tap.

“Someone rang?” I got down to the bottom, laying on my belly. Oh, shit…Big boss. No. Not oh, shit. If Ryoichi’s here, then that means Ritsu’s back, too. I just hope to hell he’s not here. No. If I know Ritsu like I know I do, I’m sure he’s sitting at the ramen shop. It’s not like Ryoichi would want him here. Right?

“You did very nice tonight, bluebird,” Ryoichi praised me, his hand going to my cheek. I thought the club had a no touch policy. I guess that doesn’t apply to him, “Very nice.”

“Thank you,” I smiled, “My roots came out for a second. It’s not often I get to do that.”

“You did good,” he applauded, “How about a drink?”

“Water,” I nodded, “Please.”

“Sure,” Ryoichi flagged someone down for me and got me some water. Cold. Bottled. Sealed. Still safe. Good, “There. How’s that?”

I drank half of it in one go, “Better. So much better.”

“That’s good,” he awed, “Hey, Reina, I have a question.”

“Sure, boss,” I allowed, “What’s up?”

“You’re only here during the week, right?” Ryoichi asked.

“Yep,” I nodded, “Why?”

“How about a promotion?” he offered.

“A promotion?” This is why we’re here, Rei. This is it. You’re on the right track. This is what Kiyomi sent you here for. Get close to the big boss to keep an eye on Ritsu and make sure he doesn’t get too tangled up in family affairs.

“Yeah,” Ryoichi took my hand and brought me down, “You’re not going to be in the cage between sets anymore. And let these assholes drool over something so precious like you? I don’t think so. You deserve better.”

I don’t know what’s happening here, but it’s kind of nice, “Really?”

“You know what?” he thought, “Why don’t you take Friday night off? Get back here Monday night well rested.”

“Wow,” I wasn’t sure what to say, but I’m getting a little respect and I’m here for it, “Thanks, boss.”

“You know,” Ryoichi’s hand went to my cheek again, “Most of the girls around here call me Daddy. Or did no one tell you that?”

“I can’t,” I bit the inside of my cheek. Shit. There goes my promotion, “Sorry. There’s only one Daddy to me. And that’s my own.”

“It’s not an option, Reina.” I could see the vein slowly coming out of his forehead. Aww…Ritsu does the same thing when he gets pissed. 

“Please?” I begged, “I can’t.”

“Make an exception,” Ryoichi put his foot down, “Because it’s non-negotiable.”

“I…” Fuck. I’m low man on the food chain here. I’m not nearly in the position to make demands. Besides, if I need to play into his pocket, I’m going to have to play by his rules. My hands are tied, “I’ll consider it.”

“Good girl,” he pulled me into his arms, “Now, go on. You’ll be out of the cage on Monday and we’ll talk more then, ok?”

“Got it, boss,” I got back up in the cage and onto the swing. All the good work I put into myself before I left my penthouse this afternoon is likely going to go down the drain. Because I’m going to need a shower when I get home.

When the night came to an end and I finally got home, I wanted nothing more than that shower. And I couldn’t wait for it. Mmm…Hot water and some kind of pain killers. These routines are taking a harder toll on my body than I thought they would. I’m a little achy. Maybe a bath would be a better idea. But I still had school in the morning. Just a quick shower and then, it’ll be right to bed. However, when I got to my penthouse, my plans quickly changed. A dozen dark purple and white roses sat on my dining table…along with my favorite knife and a note. I took out my phone and took a quick picture. I couldn’t help it. It’s too damn pretty. But then, I opened the note:

_Meet me on the roof x_

Under any other circumstances, this would weird me right the fuck out. But I knew the one who put these here had a key to my penthouse. And he was good enough to bring my knife back. My absolute pleasure. I did all I could to keep myself from crying major ugly tears of joy. I didn’t care about what was going on at the Viper Pit. I didn’t care about what was going on at the host club. I didn’t care about shit right now. Except for one thing.

I threw open the rooftop access door and ran up the short set of stairs. When I got to the roof, my heart damn near gave out. Sleeping on my chaise lounge like a precious little angel. But I knew better. As much as I adore this boy, he was no angel. He was a demon. An angry, bitter, aggressive demon. And I wouldn’t have him any other way. I didn’t care. His sins and my sins were all the same. But I didn’t want to wake him. God only knows what kind of shit this boy has gone through in the last few days. Instead, I laid down with him, pulling his arms around me.

Without hesitation, Ritsu nuzzled his face in my neck, “Fuck, it’s good to be home.”


	23. At Home in Your Arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know what makes me unbelievably happy? Our boy is home. Can we just take a minute to appreciate that? We got Ritsu home in one piece. I mean, we’re not 100% sure about that. We just saw him for half a second. Well, let’s go check on the baby, yeah? 
> 
> Oh…And again, if you’re not busy tomorrow night, there’s another livestream at normal time. I love that these are becoming a thing. I hope to see you then. Love you x

Warm…I woke up so warm. For the last few days, my bed had gone so cold. Not this morning. I couldn’t be happier. My man wrapped around me, a quiet penthouse, and everything right with the world. For a little while, I could pretend that I wasn’t working for a notorious mob boss. Well…Two of them. I wasn’t getting blackmailed. It was just Ritsu and me. If only we didn’t have to go to school, then the day would be perfect. But alas, Ouran awaited us.

Then, I felt a hand on my chest in the gap between my boobs. Not that I was going to stop him. I could think of worse ways to wake up, “Reila…”

“Yeah, baby?” I reveled in Ritsu’s embrace.

“Do we have to go to school?” he groaned, “Can we just say fuck it and stay here?”

“As much as I’d love to,” I empathized with his plight, “We have to. I know it sucks and a day off in Hakone would hit the spot, but we have to go to school.”

“I was thinking Karuizawa,” Ritsu held me tighter, “But Hakone would be good, too.”

“After school,” I promised, “I have no obligations to the host club or anyone else until seven o'clock. You can have me all you want.”

“Ok,” he kissed the top of my head, “I guess we can go to school.”

“Good,” I got a much more proper good morning kiss, “I missed you.”

“I missed you more,” a little smile graced Ritsu’s face, “Go on. Since you want us to go to school so bad.”

“Fuck off,” I pushed myself out of bed, getting a terribly pissed pinch on my ass, “Excuse me? Anything you want to say to my ass, you can say to my face.”

“But you’d probably yell at me for pinching those cheeks,” he shrugged, “There’s more down here to pinch.”

“Are you telling me I have a fat ass?” I squeaked.

“Depends,” Ritsu backed off, “If I say yes, will that result in you punching me?”

“Doubtful,” I let it slide, “You can thank the Spanish side of me for that one. And the dance lessons over the years.”

“Muchas gracias…” he swooned.

Fuck, I missed him. I swayed my hips just right on my way to the bathroom. Since he did come back in one piece, I might as well reward him a little. I’m not sure what’s gotten into me lately, but my morning routine suddenly got more involved. It’s been like this since Ritsu left. Hell, since we got back from being in the US all summer, but even more so since Ritsu left. And now that he’s back, it’s like all I want to do is wake up, cute myself up, and fuck shit up. That is my purpose in life. I didn’t get it, but maybe it’s not for me to get and just for me to do.

Regardless, I got my makeup right and noticed I’m starting to run low on texture spray, so it seems as if I may need to call on my pain in the ass assistant to do my shopping for me. No…Chances are, Roy wouldn’t get the right stuff anyway. Ugh…Just want I wanted to do. Necessary evil. I’ll live. Besides, if it gets me like this, I can’t be too upset, right? And to think, just a year ago, I was too damn stubborn to take care of myself like this. All for the sake of self-preservation. Silly baby Reila…Don’t you know the world’s most dangerous predators are always the most bright and vibrant colors? I say with my bright blue highlights and my dark ass cut crease. I gave myself one last look in the mirror. Fuck, bitch. You didn’t have to go that hard, yet here we are. The walking embodiment of the cover of Holding Out for a Hero from Shrek 2. That’s my true purpose in life.

“Well?” I did a quick little spin, “Good enough?”

“God, I missed that,” Ritsu took my hand and spun me around some more, “Perfect. Shall we?”

“Ok.” Something still felt off. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’m thrilled that Ritsu’s home and he’s in one piece, but…Something feels off. Like he’s trying too hard to make things exactly the way they were before he left. Or maybe I’m just reading too far into it. I’ve been known to do that. But still, I knew deep down my Ritsu was still in there. And that’s good enough for me.

“Hey, Rei?” Ritsu locked the door on our way out.

“Yeah, baby?” I held the elevator open with the toe of my shoe. It’s a good thing these dresses are nearly floor length. Something tells me my beat to hell Chucks weren’t exactly up to Ouran dress code. My knee-high Batman socks with the little capes on them probably weren’t either, but fuck it. Life’s too short to wear boring socks. The fuck out of here.

But then, the sexiest four words tumbled out of my boyfriend’s mouth and into my ear, “Let’s go get coffee.”

“I missed you, Ritsu,” I buried my face in his chest, hoping my makeup had set enough. Even if it didn’t, he’d live. 

“I love you, too,” he stole a quick kiss in the elevator. And all is right with the world. If we didn’t have to go to school, I’m sure this elevator would be seeing some things. Unfortunately, we didn’t have that luxury. Oh, well. We’ll be fine. Or so I thought.

Because once the rumbling steel of Ritsu’s bike was between my legs, I could’ve fallen apart right then and there. And we had a fifteen minute ride to school to get through. Still, I laid my face in his shoulder blades, content with the world. Albeit turned on to all hell. I could make it. I wasn’t that big of a slave to my hormones. If I had been a little more coherent, it would’ve been a different story. But I needed my regular dose of caffeine in my system and only one place on the entire Ouran campus could deliver. Bless the coffee cart.

Ritsu rattled off my order with my hand in his. Why did I have a feeling we were going to be nearly inseparable today? Because I haven’t seen him since Saturday night and I fucking missed him. Is it too much to want to make up for lost time just a little bit? Is that so fucking terrible? Once we got into our homeroom, my ass was firmly planted in Ritsu’s lap. And I wasn’t getting up until that bell made me. Besides, I knew someone else that was definitely on board for that.

“My, my, Reila…” Ritsu wrapped his arms around me while I casually sipped my latte, “You are awfully clingy today.”

“Can you blame me?” I shrugged, my head in his shoulder.

“No,” he kissed my forehead, “Not at all. I never said I was complaining. It’s just…It’s not like you to be so clingy.”

“I haven’t seen you in a while,” I reminded him, “Let me be clingy.”

“Again, not complaining,” Ritsu snuggled me, “I’m glad you’re being clingy, sweetheart. Really, I am. It’s nice to have you back.”

“Aww…” I gushed, “You like me…”

“Uh…Duh?” he looked at me strange, “That’s why we’re together. I just hope you’re prepared to deal with the repercussions of this.”

“Worth it.” I knew what he was getting at. And speak of the devil…Devils…

“Aww…” Hikaru and Kaoru melted in perfect harmony.

“It’s good to see you’re alive, Kasanoda,” Hikaru chirped.

“We thought Rei had you taken care of,” Kaoru admitted.

“No,” I kissed his cheek, “If I was going to have Ritsu taken care of, I’d do that myself. Poetic justice and all that.”

“And I’d probably let you,” Ritsu pulled me a little closer, “But if you did have me taken out, who would you get to do it?”

“If it came down to it,” I thought it over, “And I really and truly wanted you to suffer…Because let’s be honest. If I want you taken out and didn’t have it in me to do the job myself, I’d want your ass to suffer. Then, it’d be a no brainer. Daddy. In a heartbeat.”

“I do not want to be on the receiving end of your father’s unbridled rage,” he backed off, “Don’t subject me to that, Rei.”

“Then, don’t piss me off,” I laid my head on his shoulder, “At least not to that severity.”

“Don’t plan on it.”

“Good,” I sighed out, the world in a good place. 

“You know, Rei,” Hikaru pointed out, “It’s just good to see you happy again.”

“If you think this is happy,” I smirked, “Just wait until the overnight trip. I can guarantee we’ll be worse.”

“They won’t be seeing much of us on the overnight trip, Rei,” Ritsu reminded me, “I mean…If we play our cards right.”

“Unless they’re total voyeurs,” I shrugged, “I could see you two being voyeurs.”

“Come on, Rei…” Poor little Haruhi. So innocent to the ways of the world, “I walked in at the wrong time.”

“She’s not wrong, though,” the twins agreed, “We are kind of voyeurs.”

“How much longer are you two going to be all gross and cute?” Haruhi teased, already over the disturbing revelations.

“For a little while yet,” Ritsu decided, “Sorry, Haruhi.”

“Oh, god…” Something dawned on me, “Ritsu…”

“Yes, Rei?”

“I haven’t done shit in kendo all week,” I told him, well aware what our sparring matches do to us.

“Why not?” Kaoru wondered.

“We kind of thought you weren’t one to back away from a fight,” Hikaru noticed.

“Because,” Ritsu filled them in, “A certain someone in this room, without naming any names, is feared in our kendo class and I’m the only one with the stones to go against her. And when we do…”

“It does things,” I beamed, “Wonderful things. I told you kendo was great for our love life. Imagine what things are going to be like for us after school.”

“Should we just find a bathroom?” Ritsu suggested, “Or is that not secluded enough?”

“I don’t think it’ll be secluded enough,” I figured, “You have to think, baby. It’s been a few days since we saw each other. I don’t think we’ll be quiet enough for a bathroom. Could always make my neighbors learn your name.”

“Guys!” Haruhi whined, “Decency please!”

I need to have a word with Tamaki. He needs to help his girlfriend be less of a prude. I love her to death, but Jesus Christ, there has to be a line. Fortunately for her, the bell rang and we had to go about our day. I got a quick kiss from Ritsu and the two of us had to part ways. A shame, really. But I knew that the day would go by incredibly fast. And once it did, there’d only be one more class to go. And it’d be the best one of the day. Because I finally had my kendo partner back. 

“Mendoza!” Sensei called for me.

“You rang?” I bounced over to him, fully prepared for the triumphant return. And if there aren’t any trumpets playing after our fight, I’ll be sorely disappointed. However, I would also settle for some sexy sax, too.

“Are you…” he looked down at the floor. Sometimes, I love having male teachers. Especially when I knew I had something that could make them squirm. Am I a sadist? A little bit. But hopefully, it’ll desensitize him and make him a better person, “Are you still…Not…Feeling well?”

Sure enough, that made Ritsu’s ear perk up like a German shepherd. I see I have some explaining to do, “No, Sensei. I’m good again. And I’m ready to fight. Thank you for the concern, though. I appreciate it.”

“Alright,” Sensei let me go, so I could pick my partner. Hmm…Which one of these lambs are willing to put themselves up for slaughter? I’m thinking the cute one with the mean mug and the nice ass.

“Rei?” Ritsu worried, “What did Sensei mean when he said you weren’t feeling well? I don’t remember you telling me you were sick while I was gone.”

“Relax,” I settled him, “I didn’t want to fight anyone else but you. It’d feel too much like cheating on you, so I faked period cramps to get out of it.”

“You know how terrible that is, right?”

“It worked,” I threw him a staff and grabbed one for myself, “And it’s like you said. Everyone else is afraid to fight me. I don’t know if it’s because I’m a girl or if it’s because I can hand their ass to them, but either way, it’s good to have you home.”

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, “It’s good to be back.”

“Well?” I smirked, already hyped up, “Shall we?”

“We shall.” Ritsu made a big mistake. He made the first strike. I was always told never to throw the first punch, but instead, extend the first olive branch. If they throw the first punch, then I have their complete and total permission to kick their ass and make sure I threw the last one. 

And so, our fight began. I wasn’t sure, but if I didn’t know any better, I’d think the time away made Ritsu stronger…And faster…This wasn’t like the way we usually fought. This was rougher. I’m not too upset about it. I’m a girl that can appreciate a challenge. But this wasn’t even like when I’d fight Mori last year. This was…vicious. Something snapped in Ritsu and he’s trying to genuinely hurt me. He’s fighting for real. I knew something was off. I knew it this morning. And he’s been overcorrecting himself all day. I’m not going to be able to get through to him from beating the shit out of him. Only one thing could get him out of full blow warrior mode. I threw my staff to his knees, hitting him hard enough to get him to fall to the mat.

In a strange upset in our kendo class, I had Ritsu pinned down to the mat. Not with my staff, but with my body. I put his face between my hands and gave him a gentle kiss. Only to confuse the shit out of the usual onlookers. Although, it definitely made Sensei look the other way. I didn’t care. Some things took precedence.

“Ritsu…” I spoke softly, trying to snuff out the flame in his eyes, “Relax…Just a little for me.”

“Get off me!” Ritsu continued to thrash underneath me. 

“No,” I stayed where I was, “Not until you settle down.”

“Fine,” he growled. I could tell he was pissed, but I don’t think it was at me, “Alright…I’m calm.”

“Good,” I kissed him one more time, “Are you trying to kill me or have you been holding back?”

“No.”

“Ok,” I ran my thumb over his cheek…and something didn’t feel right. Like he had something on his face, but instead, he winced under my touch. Immediately, he threw me off him and took off. I didn’t like this. Even worse, I didn’t like the feeling of foundation on my fingers. Not like this. My stomach turned, but I had to do everything in my power to calm myself down. There’s no way I’m going to be able to take care of Ritsu if I’m not good first. I ran into the locker room, changed back into my uniform, and went on a search for my boyfriend…wherever he may be.

Oddly enough, I found him sitting by himself under the big picture window in the music hall just outside the host club. Of all places, I wouldn’t have thought to find him here. I didn’t even know why I came this way first. Force of habit, I guess. It’s a good thing I did, though. He had his head tucked in his knees and when I got closer, I could see him shaking. That’s not good. That’s really not good. It wasn’t often Ritsu would get truly, genuinely upset, but when it happened…It was never pretty.

“Ritsu?” I kept my voice down. The last thing I wanted to do was scare the shit out of him. Nothing. Absolute silence. He wouldn’t even look up at me. Looks like we’re going to have to do this the other way. I took his hand because chances are, he’s not going to talk to me, “One tap for yes, two taps for no, three taps for something in between, ok?”

Tap.

Good…He’s not too far gone, “Are you ok?”

Tap, tap.

Didn’t think so, “Is it physical?”

Tap, tap, tap.

Hmm…Interesting, “Is it mental?”

Tap, tap.

I’m not surprised, “Are you going to tell me?”

Tap, tap, tap.

Ok. That’s understandable. But then, I thought a little harder, “Can you tell me?”

Tap, tap.

All I could do was put my arms around him and make sure he knew everything was ok. I pulled Ritsu into my shoulder and waited, my hand still in his, “Is this ok?”

Tap.

He still wouldn’t look at me. And that was ok. We needed to get through this part first. And if he still wasn’t talking to me with his words, I don’t think we were quite ready for him to acknowledge I’m here. But he knew. I made sure of that. He knew I was here and he knew damn well I wasn’t going anywhere. Ritsu knew what my tenacity looked like and where it came from. Little did he know, Mama was a tenacious creature, too. But here nor there.

After some time had passed, I tried again, “Ritsu…What happened?”

A little sob came out of his throat, “He got me…He fucking got me.”

“Easy…” I settled him, “You don’t have to go into detail now.”

“Rei…” Ritsu managed to pull himself back together. Just a little, “The last few days…They’ve been absolute hell.”

“Then, why didn’t you…?”

“You know damn well why!” he snapped.

“Alright,” I backed off, “I understand. Stupid question on my part.”

“Yeah,” Ritsu sighed out, “Stupid question. You were worried enough…I could tell every time we talked. I didn’t need to add my bullshit on top of that.”

“But that’s what I’m here for,” I reminded him, “You don’t carry that bullshit alone.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” he held me tighter, “I didn’t. I never left the room without your knife on me.”

“Good,” I knew it would come in handy, “Another stupid question, but do you still want to go see Veronica after school?”

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, wiping his eyes. A dark smudge under his eye showed itself. I should’ve seen that coming, “I need some normal. And to know I got family that cares.”

“Ok.” Gladly. If he needed to know someone gave a shit about him, then so be it. I’d be more than happy to volunteer for that position. However, my heart shattered to pieces, knowing he was so starved for normalcy. It’s weird that he finds that in me, but who am I to judge? 

“Speaking of family that cares,” he added, “Call your dad. He worries.”

“When in the fuck did you last talk to Daddy?” I wondered.

“Shortly after this happened,” Ritsu finally acknowledged the bruising on his face, “The other night. You seem to forget that I’m on incredibly good terms with your dad. We talk, too, Rei. You’re not the only one that can monopolize his time.”

“Ritsu…” I laced my fingers between his, “Can I ask you a favor?”

“What’s that?”

“Promise me,” I begged, my head on his shoulder, “No more secrets. We handle shit together from here on out.”

“No more secrets,” he kissed the top of my head, “Thank you…For chasing after me.”

“Always, Ritsu,” I swore, “Always. Don’t ever think for a second I won’t come running after you. No matter what happens. Come on. Let’s go see Veronica.”

“Really?” Ritsu looked at me strange, “You’re skipping out on the host club altogether?”

“They’ll be fine without me,” I brushed him off, “No need to worry about them.”

“Are you sure?” He knew as well as I did. The host club was…a lot for one person to handle. But I knew the one person who would be handling them. The one person that could probably handle them the best. And I would probably owe her dumplings the next time we go to the ramen shop together. 

“Yeah,” I hoped, helping Ritsu onto his feet, “Priorities, baby. Priorities.”


	24. Wild One

Ritsu said he wanted normal. And where else could we do normal better than the one place we haven’t been since Friday? And even Friday, we were barely there. Our one sacred place in town. Abuelita would kill me for saying this, but the ramen shop was almost more sacred to Ritsu and me than any church would ever be. The ramen shop was home. I figured, why not introduce it to Veronica? Besides, Ritsu wasn’t the only one in need of a dose of normal.

“Rei!” Veronica waved me down.

Immediately, Ritsu grabbed my arm, “You told her about the ramen shop?”

“Yes,” I nodded, “Don’t worry, Ritsu. It’ll be fine.”

“Hi, sweetheart,” Veronica threw her arms around me.

“Hi, Veronica,” I mumbled in her shoulder. Damn my shortness. And her appreciation for platform boots.

“And…” Ritsu worried, “This is the good aunt?”

“Yes,” I promised, “This is my good aunt, Veronica. Veronica, this is Ritsu.”

“This is the boyfriend Frankie loves so much?” Veronica looked him over.

“Absolutely,” I melted inside. 

“It’s a pleasure, Ritsu,” Veronica awed, “I’ve heard a little about you from Rei.”

“I’m sure you have,” Ritsu poked me in the side, nudging me into our normal booth.

“And you know what?” she decided, “I could stand a drink. Can we order sake here or do we have to go somewhere else for that?”

“They don’t serve alcohol here,” Ritsu grumbled. He’s still coming out of his mood. I can let this slide. Instead of yelling at him, I slipped my hand in his under the table.

“Boo,” Veronica groaned, dramatically throwing herself into the booth, “So, not that you’re not the charmer, Ritsu, but Reila…What have you been up to recently? I’m sure I’m hella behind in major life events, but Reader’s Digest version.”

“Yeah, Rei,” Ritsu was just as interested, “There’s no way you didn’t stay busy while I was gone. You and downtime don’t always mix well.”

“I mean,” I shrugged, “Same old, same old. My usual dealing with the host club.”

“Now,” Veronica cut me off, “The host club is the thing with Yuzuha’s boys, right?”

“They’re members,” I nodded, “But they don’t run it. I damn near do, but they got Kyoya. Kyoya runs it. But other than that, I’ve dealt with them. I faked period cramps to get out of kendo. I went to Disneyland with the entire host club Sunday.”

“By yourself?!” Ritsu freaked, “Rei, are you fucking high?!”

“Holy shit, kid,” Veronica giggled, “Excitable little thing, isn’t he?”

“Pump the breaks, Ritsu,” I settled him, “I wasn’t by myself. I had Haruhi, too.”

“Wait,” Veronica wondered, “What’s a host club?”

“Yuzuha’s kids and their friends,” I explained, “And my friends, too, I suppose.”

“Yuzuha?” Ritsu looked at me weird.

“Hikaru and Kaoru’s mom,” I filled him in, “She’s a sweetheart. And I think she loves me.”

“She does,” Veronica confirmed, “She told me earlier today. She adores you.”

“Aww,” I gushed, “Flattered.”

“Wait a sec,” she thought, “If Yuzuha’s boys are the ones with the host club, then what was with the thing you were doing last night?”

“What?” Dammit, Veronica. Don’t get me wrong. I missed the hell out of you, but some things are better left unsaid. Because if that wasn’t a dog whistle to Ritsu, I don’t know what is.

“Veronica and I went to a club last night,” I gave her a little kick to the shin under the table.

“Really?” Ritsu worried, “And where did you go?”

“Shinjuku…” I’m fucked.

“Rei…” he took my hand, his fingers on my wrist. I knew this trick. The oldest one in the book. He’s feeling for a pulse. It’s like a poor man’s lie detector test. Daddy taught me how to cheat it, but I couldn’t do that with Ritsu. He already knew something was up, “No more secrets, right?”

“You’re right,” I sighed out. I couldn’t be a hypocrite. Not like this. If he was good enough to somewhat come clean with me outside the music room, the least I could do was return the favor, “But you have to make me a promise.”

“What’s that?” Ritsu slipped his fingers off my wrist. Someone’s trusting. 

“You can’t be mad at me for it,” I begged, “Please…”

“Hey…” he picked my chin up, “One tap for yes, two taps for no, three taps for somewhere in between. Ok?”

He knew something. I wasn’t sure what, but he knew something. And as much as me keeping it somewhat secret this far worried him, he knew how to handle me. Just as well as I could handle him. I tapped his hand. Just once. At least he threw in the tapping system. I couldn’t be more thankful for that. Because I know this isn’t going to sit well with him and he’s going to be pissed. And if I were to start talking, I’m afraid I’d start crying. He doesn’t need to deal with that. Not tonight.

“Is it something that you know will make me angry?”

Tap, tap, tap.

“Is it in the name of keeping one or both of us safe?”

Tap.

“Is it something that if I would’ve been home, I’d try to stop you?”

Tap.

Ritsu looked down at his feet, “Should I trust you moving forward with it?”

Tap.

“Ritsu…” I wrapped myself around his arm, noticing the time. Shit…It’s knocking on seven o'clock. I need to be getting to work anyway, “It’d be easier if I just showed you.”

“Showed me?” I could see it on his face. I had Ritsu so lost. So confused. And yet…So incredibly nervous. I would be, too, if my girlfriend got involved in my family’s business behind my back while I was out of town.

“Yeah,” I bit the inside of my cheek, “But before we go…You know I do certain things completely out of love, right?”

“Of course,” Ritsu held me tight, “Of course you do. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” I winced, “With where we’re going…We shouldn’t go in together.”

“Why not?”

“Let’s just say,” I shimmied my way out of the booth, “I got a job while you were out of town. Something to fill in my free time.”

“Ok?” Ritsu followed me.

“Veronica?” I asked, “Are you coming, too?”

“I should sit this one out,” Veronica got it. She knew what the family business was…At least on Daddy’s side of things. She knew this could possibly get messy. And I had no doubt that it was getting messy. At least a little messy.

The three of us left the ramen shop and I went back to my penthouse. It’s easier to get dressed in my closet than in the cramped dressing rooms at the Viper Pit. Besides, I had something special planned for tonight. A little tight leather could go a long way. Especially when it came to greasing the wheels with Ritsu. He likes to pretend he doesn’t look, but I know better. Just like how I knew Ritsu was going to find out eventually. If he wouldn’t have bared his soul to me, I probably would’ve kept this under wraps for a little while longer. But dammit, he forced my hand. Without even realizing it.

“So,” Ritsu followed me outside, throwing his leg over his bike, “Where am I meeting you?”

This was going to be the big bomb. But he did promise he wouldn’t be angry with me. And he understood my reasoning and he trusted me, so here goes nothing, “Meet me at the Viper Pit in Shinjuku.”

“The Viper Pit?” his radar went up, “That’s one of our clubs…”

I know. I had a feeling it was Kasanoda owned when Kiyomi sent me there. But I’d never tell Ritsu that. I know we said no more secrets between us, but I couldn’t throw Kiyomi under the bus like that. Not when they just reconciled. Not when he just got her back in his life. I couldn’t do that to either one of them. I threw my leg over my bike and we took off for Shinjuku. I could do this. Ritsu promised me he wouldn’t be pissed, but I knew that boy’s temper like the back of my hand. It wasn’t often it had to come out, but when it did, it never took much to set it off. 

We parked our bikes a block away from the Viper Pit in the parking lot of the diner Ranka chewed my ass out. Looks like this is it. The moment that will make or break our relationship. In the last year, I’ve loved having Ritsu around. Through the good shit, the bad shit, and all the shit in between. I couldn’t love him any more than I already do. But we got off our bikes and I did my best to hold myself together. I can’t be falling apart. Not now. Not when I have to be to work in the next ten minutes.

“As far as anyone knows,” I ran him through it, “I don’t know you. And you don’t know me.”

“Rei…” Ritsu took my hand, “What’s going on?”

“Just…” I demanded, “Trust me. Ok? Please?”

“Ok.”

I left Ritsu at the diner and started heading toward the Viper Pit. Tonight would really not be the night for the bitches to jump out of the alley and come after me. I didn’t have it in me to beat their asses and something tells me the big boss wouldn’t be happy if I came in covered in bruises. Even more so, I have a feeling his son wouldn’t be too pleased either. Ritsu would hunt them down and probably put them on a first class flight to the Narrows. That way, it’s my fight to finish and in my house.

Fortunately, I could walk into the Viper Pit peacefully. Good. When I walked in, I went straight to the bar. In a perfect world, I’d grab a drink, but I might as well make a friend instead, “Hi, Shiro.”

“Hi, Reina.” In my short time here, I quickly learned to adore Shiro. He was just trying his best and he put on a brave front when we first met. But I felt a mutual respect between us, “You might want to be careful tonight. The big boss is here.”

Kind of figured he would be, “So, no pressure?”

“No pressure,” Shiro smiled, “That’s the attitude to have. But I’d be careful with an attitude like that around him. He can sniff that shit out and snuff it at the source. Just…Be careful.”

“Ok.” He’s not the one I’m afraid of…But it’s sweet of him to care.

“Hey, Shiro…” That’s the one I’m afraid of. Ritsu came walking in, sneaking up behind me. Ryoichi could’ve walked up behind me and caused less alarm. But I’d never tell Ritsu that.

“Young lord!” Shiro perked up, “What a pleasant surprise. You’re…looking well…Should I tell your father you’re here?”

“He’ll find out eventually,” Ritsu brushed him off, “I’ll take care of it.”

“Yes, sir,” Shiro bowed, “Go on, Reina. Go find Minako.”

“I should probably see her, too,” Ritsu figured, shooting a quick glance at me, “Shiro, if I ask you something, you’re not going to flat out lie to me, are you?”

“No, sir,” Shiro swore, “Nothing but honesty.”

“Good,” Ritsu nodded, “Who’s the girl?”

“Oh!” Shiro’s eyes lit up. Meanwhile, mine fell straight to the floor in shame, “This is Reina. She’s a new dancer here. She’s fantastic! Just you wait. Hopefully, you’ll stick around for the show.”

“You know,” I could feel Ritsu’s glare burning in the back of my skull, “I wasn’t going to, but it looks like I have no choice now. I’m looking forward to it. What’d you say your name was?”

“R…Reina,” I stuttered a bit, my edge completely gone. He’s pissed and I know it.

“Reina,” he repeated flatly, “Why don’t I walk you back?”

“Um…” I wasn’t sure what kind of angle he was trying to work, but I needed to relax before I went onstage, “Ok.”

“Good luck tonight, Reina!” Shiro sent us off.

And so, the two of us started walking toward the back. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the air conditioning kicked on…a little too well...Once the employees only door closed behind us, I couldn’t help it. I was fucking dying here. My voice barely reached above a whisper, “You promised me you wouldn’t get mad, Ritsu.”

“I’m not mad,” Ritsu lied through his teeth. I could hear it in his voice. He was doing all he could to keep himself from punching a hole in the wall. And I hated that I was the one to put him in that position. But then, we got to my usual dressing room, “Miss Minako!”

“Ritsu!” Minako awed, hugging him tight with no regard for any present company, “I’m so happy you’re home! I mean, it’s not the first time I’ve seen you since you’ve been back, but damn, it’s good to have you home again. At least I can keep an eye on you again. Between you and me, Ryoichi’s too rough on you. Speaking of, how is your eye healing?”

“It’s better…” No more secrets, huh? In that moment, my heart shattered. Yeah, Daddy has put me through some rough shit for the sake of training, but no one was ever allowed to lay a hand on me. When Ritsu told me he got set up…No…

“That’s good to hear,” Minako snapped me out of my headspace, “And what about you, Reina? Do I need to touch your eye up, too?”

Shit…I never told Ritsu I got into a little scrap, too. And as much as he was hiding the fact he knew me, the mere mention of it made him flinch, “No. I’m good. Thank you, Minako.”

“Even better,” Minako offered me her chair, “Go on, sweetheart. And Ritsu, I suggest you find a good seat. This one is worth a watch.”

“That’s what I hear,” Ritsu nodded, “I think I should watch her _very_ close.”

And just like that, he stormed out. I knew it. Yep. He’s good and pissed. But somehow, Minako was still all smiles, “So, Reina…What do you have planned for tonight?”

“Something big…” Because it had to be. I needed to turn this night around before 1.) Ritsu leaves me, 2.) we get found out, and 3.) I start bawling. I didn’t have heartache on my list of things to do tonight. But I knew just what to do. Hey, God? Can we talk again? Don’t mean to bother you. You probably have other shit going on, but can I ask a favor? Let this go right. Let this be the best routine I ever crank out. And please…Just let this fix everything. Because I need to turn this around and I don’t want to lose Ritsu. He’s too important to me.

Just like every other night since I started working here, I climbed into my cage and waited to go on. And once that nine o'clock bell rang and we had a shift change, I got down from that cage. When I gave the sound guy my phone, I did a quick scan of the crowd. Sure enough, right up there in the owner’s box, Ritsu had a bird’s eye view. Good. I remember when he first learned I could do aerials. God, did that scare the fuck out of him. That’s when I was still on home turf. But I could do this. I could do this. I knew I could do this. I could do this kind of shit in my sleep. I just hope to all things holy that it’s enough. It can be enough.

Then, I got myself in the zone. Right now, I’m dancing for an audience of one. A very specific type of one. My one. And once the music hit, it hit hard.

_Hey, I heard you were a wild one…_

_If I took you home, it’d be a home run_

_Show me how you do_

_I want to shut down the club_

_With you…_

_Hey, I heard you like the wild ones…_

Oh, yeah. If this doesn’t fix it, nothing will.


	25. Opening the Champagne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies…If you didn’t read this week’s Death Note update or the first MysMes update, then you’re still in the dark. We need to talk…No, it’s nothing bad. It’s not like I’m shutting this down…Oh, wait…
> 
> I’m going to be gone for the next month. You’ll have to be without me. Because if you’ve been around for a while, it’s going to be NaNoWriMo season soon. Like…Next week. I’ll be gone for the entirety of November. If you don’t know what NaNoWriMo is and that just looks like a fake word, it stands for National Novel Writing Month. In other words, you take the entire month of November and try to hit 50,000 words in that month. Although, I usually end up rounding off with about 100,000 or so. I’m an overachiever. This is going to be my…Seventh year doing it. I think. That sounds right. Sixth or seventh. Not 100%, but I digress. Now, let’s leave it to an open forum for questions:
> 
> -Lumi, are we still going to get updates?  
> Yes. Yes, little one. You will. I’ve busted my ass to make sure you guys were well taken care of while I’m gone. And not just you guys, but EVERYONE.
> 
> -Lumi, are you still going to be responding to comments and reviews and such?  
> Duh. Of course.
> 
> -Lumi, are you still going to be doing the livestream?  
> Yes. I am definitely going to need those livestreams to keep my sanity. Because a break every once in a while won’t kill me. In fact, I’ll be going live on Friday again because it’ll be the Hallowstream special. I know. I’m lame.
> 
> -Lumi, what is your NaNo project going to be this year?  
> Not that I’m really anticipating this one, but it’s nice of you to not ask. It’s going to be a sequel of a story on FictionPress called Evenings at Mistress Holloway’s Mansion. It is available for your reading pleasure right now, if you’d like to catch up. Its sequel will be going up there as well starting in January when I get around to editing it. The first one is kind of like a fucked up version of the Bachelorette. It’s totally worth a read.
> 
> -Lumi…are you going to miss us while you’re gone?  
> Oh…Oh, sweetheart…Of course I am. *chu* Don’t worry. I’ll be back in December. We’ll still be here. It’ll just be another 32 sleepies until we see each other again. I know you’ll be ok. I’ve left you with a sitter. You’ll be ok. Hey…Look at me…I love you. I’ll greatly miss you. And I’ll see you in December, ok? x

I think I did it. If that routine didn’t somewhat save my relationship with Ritsu, nothing will. There were enough splits in it to make me damn near pull something. Enough spins to make me almost throw up. And _plenty_ of subtext. I loved Wild Ones. I mean…It got me thinking of us. He was my wild one. And I was his. Clearly. I’m working in his family’s fucking nightclub for the sake of keeping him safe. If that’s not a chaotic neutral, I don’t know what is.

After something like that, I needed a break. As per usual, I climbed back into my cage and sat on my swing, slightly content with the world. A bottle of water waiting for me would’ve been nice, but to no avail. Not even that virgin piña colada Ranka sent for me. Oh, well. I’ll flag down one of the waitresses later and get one then. But for now, I sit on my swing. Back and forth without a care in the world…If only it were that simple. If it wasn’t the exhaustion from the routine killing me, it’s the exhaustion from worrying about what Ritsu’s going to say to me later.

Knock, knock.

“Hey, Reina?” Shiro’s head popped up near the bottom of my cage.

“Hi, Shiro,” I got down to his level, “What’s up?”

“The big boss wants to see you.”

Good. I want him to see me. Because if he’s asking for me, I’m sure Ritsu won’t be too far away. I opened the door on my cage and climbed down, making a beeline for the box upstairs. I wonder if it was Ryoichi that called for me. It wouldn’t surprise me if Ritsu was speaking through him. No…He wouldn’t do that. Not that way. That would put too much heat on me and the idea was to avoid that at all costs.

Regardless, I skipped up the stairs and stepped into the owner’s box, “You wanted to see me, boss?”

“Come here, Reina,” Ryoichi ordered, “In front of me.”

“Ok,” I kept a close watch on Ritsu out of the corner of my eye. He seemed like…He calmed down a little. I knew it. He can’t resist me when I’m twenty feet in the air. I know it scared the shit out of him at one time, but it seems like those times are behind us. I stood at Ryoichi’s feet, “Is everything alright?”

“You did good tonight, bluebird,” Ryoichi’s hand went up to my cheek, sending Ritsu’s radar off the fucking charts, I’m sure, “I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you, sir.” I’m sorry, Ritsu. Please understand what I’m here to do. 

“You know how I told you the other night you were getting a promotion?” Ryoichi reminded me. Hey…That vein that stood out in Ryoichi’s forehead? It just came out of Ritsu’s.

“Yeah,” I bit the inside of my cheek, “What about it?”

“You’re starting tonight,” he decided, “Why don’t you come sit down?”

“Ok…” I didn’t see any open chairs, “Where should I sit?”

“Right here,” Ryoichi patted his lap, “This is where you go from now on when you’re not onstage. When I’m here, you’re on my lap. When I’m not, you’re keeping my seat warm. Do you understand?”

“Of course,” I nodded, “But…If I might ask…Why?”

“I like you, Reina,” he took my hand, pulling me to my proper seat. Please, Ritsu…Please for the love of God, forgive me for this. Understand that this means nothing to me. It’s you I’m worried about, “There’s something…I don’t know. Something special about you. I’m not quite sure what that is yet, but I’m dying to find out.”

“You were right, Dad,” Ritsu stepped in, his face turned to stone, “She is kind of cute.”

“You think so?” Ryoichi didn’t even acknowledge me as a person anymore. At this point, he was talking like I was a commodity. He took my face in his hands, “Yeah, I think so, too.”

“Yeah,” Ritsu gave him a nod, looking me over with the same cold, hungry eyes as his father. I don’t like that. I don’t like that one bit, “She’s alright. She’d do in a pinch.”

“Reina…?” Ryoichi looked me over, “You getting tired on me, bluebird? I’m sure you are. That was a hell of a show you just put on for me.”

I didn’t put that on for you, “Yeah…A little. It’s been a long day for me.”

“How about,” Ryoichi wrapped his arms around me, “you stay up here for the rest of the night? I’m sure you wouldn’t mind a couple of hours with me, would you?”

“Actually, Dad…?” Ritsu approached him.

“What do you want, Ritsu?” Ryoichi rolled his eyes, “I’m in the middle of something.”

“If she’s not going to be busy for the rest of the night,” Ritsu shot me a look, “Can I take her to the champagne room?”

“Excuse me?” Ryoichi perked up, “You want to take my new favorite to the champagne room?”

“If it’s alright with you.”

“Is it finally time?” Ryoichi awed.

“I think so,” Ritsu’s glare was unwavering…and painful. I could feel internal organs starting to liquify.

“Alright,” Ryoichi allowed, lifting my chin toward him, “Reina…?”

“Yes, sir?” I asked, my voice hardly above a whisper.

“Go take my son to the champagne room,” he demanded, “Go take his virginity.”

“Excuse me?” Was this really happening? In my promotion, I don’t remember escort being thrown in there. I mean, not that I’m going to say no to sex with Ritsu. It’s in my top five favorite things to do. But something about his dad ordering me to do it? Yeah…That wasn’t sitting well.

“You heard me,” Ryoichi growled, nudging me off his lap, “Go on. Go show him a good time.”

“Come on,” Ritsu took my hand. But this was different. I knew he was pissed, but I didn’t think he was this pissed. His grip got tighter and tighter to the point where I’m almost positive he’s causing hairline fractures in my fingers. Under any other circumstances, this would be turning me on a little. Unfortunately, I didn’t get that luxury. This wasn’t my Ritsu. This was someone else entirely, “Hey, Dad? We did get the soundproofing in the champagne room taken care of, right? Things might get a little loud.”

“They did,” Ryoichi nodded, “Go on. Go make me proud.”

“That was the intention,” Ritsu dragged me down the stairs and down the hall a few doors to a neon sign of a glass of champagne. Gee. I wonder which room this could be. I knew enough from the madames Daddy knew over the years to know what went down in the champagne room. And tonight, that would be me. When the door shut, Ritsu scooped me up and threw me onto the bed. And not a word was sad between us. Although, once the lock was flipped, my stomach dropped.

“Ri…”

“Hush…” Ritsu cut me off.

“Ritsu…”

“What did I just say?” he snapped, “WHAT THE FUCK, REILA?!”

“I can exp…”

“Can you?!” Ritsu snarled, his face getting redder and redder by the second.

“If you’d let me get a fucking word in edgewise!” I stood my ground, “You promised me you wouldn’t get mad!”

“Ever since we started dating,” he sat down, “I respected the fact that you were going to do whatever the fuck you wanted. And I was ok with that. In fact, I admired you for it. And I learned quickly to not stand in your way. But I told you _one thing._ Just one! _DO NOT GET INVOLVED IN MY FAMILY’S BUSINESS!_ ”

“You got involved in mine,” I reminded him, “And you liked it.”

“Rei…” Ritsu’s voice broke, “You got involved. You’re in with _my_ family. It’s a completely different ballgame. You’re my dad’s fucking lapdog for God’s sake!”

“And for a good fucking reason!” I argued, “If you’d cool the fucking jets for a second and let me explain, I’m sure you’ll understand a little fucking better. I’m on a job, dumbass!”

Then…Ritsu stopped altogether. No more yelling. No more bitching. No more anger. I could see it in his eyes. He’s still seething inside. But somehow…He’s a lot calmer than what he was before, “What?”

“Yeah,” I moved in next to him, “I’m on a job.”

“What do you mean, you’re on a job?” he wondered, still holding some skepticism.

“While you were gone,” I came clean, “I was talking with…let’s just call them my client for now. I can’t go into too much detail about the job. Not here anyway. I’ve already said too much about it now. But they told me to keep an eye on the Kasanoda syndicate. So, I got sent here. Don’t worry. It’s not like it’s a rivalling family or the government or the fucking cops or anything like that. We’ll just call them a concerned citizen. But…The more I think about it, I’m not so sure if I want to keep the original job. Maybe I want to do more than just keep an eye on the Kasanoda syndicate.”

“Like what?” Ritsu asked, “Because I love you, Rei, but you sure as fuck aren’t talking about marrying into the Kasanoda syndicate…Right? We already set a cap for that.”

“No, no, no,” I shook my head, “I was thinking about how much it’s made you miserable and I thought of everyone else who’s suffered because of the Kasanoda syndicate…Let’s do it.”

“I’ve been wanting to do it since we left kendo…”

“No,” I clarified, “I mean…Yes, but that’s not what I’m talking about.”

“Then, what are you talking about?” Ritsu pulled me into his shoulder, “What are you thinking?”

I couldn’t be more relieved. I nuzzled my face in his ribs, finally able to relax for the day, “I’m thinking we take out the whole fucking works.”

“Wait…” he looked at me strange, “Are you thinking what I think you’re thinking?”

“Probably.”

“You want to kill the syndicate?” Ritsu gasped, “Like…Completely?”

“No,” I laced my fingers between his, “I say _we_ kill the syndicate. Daddy always told me the best way to dismantle an organization is to get close with the guys on top and tear it apart from the inside. And…Well…As you so graciously pointed out earlier…I’m kind of your dad’s lapdog these days. I’m already in his back pocket. I just need a little time to make myself comfortable and come up with a plan. Then…Bye-bye, you having to head the syndicate. And hello to our freedom.”

Ritsu was left completely speechless. I saw it all over his face. He didn’t know whether to kill me…kiss me…break down in tears…rat me out…But then, he just held me as tight as he possibly could. Break me in half. Good option, “You know, Rei…You really are something else…Did you know that?”

“I had a hunch,” I shrugged, cuddling into him, “So? What do you say? Fight our way out and make damn sure that if we go down, we go down swinging?”

“The whole fucking syndicate?” he thought it over, “Something tells me that if I say no to you fighting in this, you’ll fight twice as hard.”

“It’s me,” I kissed his cheek, “I’m that something. Ritsu, I know what happened with you while you were gone. Enough to put it together anyway. You don’t deserve that. I know you said that here and back home are two different monsters, but fuck me, you do not deserve that.”

“So…” Ritsu wondered, “We’re killing the syndicate?”

“We’re killing the syndicate,” I laid my head on his shoulder, “You and me, baby…”

“You and me,” he pulled me into a deep, passionate kiss, “You and me…”

“So…” I decided to play it up a little, giving him another little kiss…and another…and another…moving down to his neck, “Speaking of you and me…”

“What?” Ritsu’s voice went up a couple octaves. He’s so cute.

“You’re not the only one who’s been wound up since kendo.” One would think our moment in the hall would’ve killed the mood. Hell no. Ritsu going all out on me hit me in places I didn’t even know existed. Shit was about to go down.

“Really now?” he twitched underneath me, “And what did you have in mind, Reila?”

“Well,” I lightly bit where his shoulder met his neck. Just enough to get him going, “I was ordered to take you into the champagne room to take your virginity.”

“Yes, you were,” Ritsu let a little moan out for me. Fuck, I missed this boy.

“And who better to take it,” I groaned in his ear, “than the girl that already has it in the first place?”

“Yes…Please…” I think I just turned him feral. For his sake, I hope to God Ryoichi wasn’t lying about the soundproofing. Because it is definitely about to get loud in here.


	26. Peace at Last

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am...Am I on? Am I here? Sick.
> 
> Hello, Internet. I got a little time here, so how much damage can I cause in a month? No. I wouldn't do that to Lumi. If it weren't for her, there'd be no me. So! How are we doing this? I just come in, fuck shit up, and leave? I think I can do that. Should probably leave a chapter here first, so you get to see what goes on with my man and me. We're cute as shit, right? By the way, in case you were wondering, yeah. For the next month, you get to hang out with Her Royal Highness herself. That's me, Rei, by the way. Hello. *waves* Just don't fuck with me and I won't fuck with you. Understand? I might answer your messages. I might leave that for Lumi, but don't be afraid to stop by and say hi, got it? Wonderful. Now, back to what Ritsu and I like to do in our spare time...Other than each other. Get your minds out of the gutter...

That was needed. Fuck, was that needed. Nothing quite like the feeling after Ritsu and I come completely fucking unglued after a huge fight. God bless makeup sex. But this was so much more than makeup sex. It was us making up for the last few days we didn’t see each other sex. It was post kendo sex. It was seeing me up on the silks, getting Ritsu all hot and bothered sex. And if we would’ve waited until this weekend to pop the cork on that champagne, we’d probably be able to pile Spain sex on top of that, too. But for now, we’re spent.

“You know, Reila,” Ritsu ran his fingers down the back of my arm with not a thought in his head, “We should probably think about heading home. What time do you get off?”

“About five minutes ago,” I laid my head on his bare chest, ready to fall asleep right then and there.

“I’m serious, Rei,” he giggled a bit, “Although, in hindsight, I should’ve seen that one coming from a mile away.”

“I just saw you coming from a few inches away.”

“Rei…”

“Midnight,” I rolled my eyes, “Buzzkill ruining my fun.”

“We’ll leave separate,” Ritsu kissed the top of my head, “Ok?”

“Ok,” I cuddled into him, “I need to see Ryoichi first before I leave.”

“Ugh…” he groaned, “I don’t like this, Rei. Really, I don’t.”

“Relax, baby,” I promised, “I got this. Your dad is not the first mob boss I’ve played like a fiddle and I’m sure he won’t be my last. I got it taken care of. If I need backup, I’ll know who to ask.”

“But please, Rei,” Ritsu held me tighter. It’s like I was going to float away, “Be careful. And don’t let it escalate to the point where you need to ask for backup.”

“I will,” I gave a little kiss and got up from the bed, still mostly naked. I had panties on.

“Hey, Rei?”

“Yeah?” I grabbed my clothes off the floor.

“I see Mars is looking lovely tonight…”

I fucking love this boy, “He’s always happy to see Meditrina. As am I. Now, as much as I’d love for us to go for another round, I’d like to go home sometime tonight. The night job wears me out and I haven’t been able to get decent sleep since I started. On days where I have to host, it’s hell.”

“I’m sorry,” Ritsu winced, “No one said you had to start working here. In fact, I think it’d be great if you didn’t work here.”

“Ritsu…” I let out a heavy sigh. I knew this was coming, “Just…Again. Trust me. I know what I’m doing and I know why I’m here. And soon enough, we’ll be able to wash our hands of this place and all it stands for.”

“God, I hope so,” he took my hand, “I just hope we don’t get lost in the shuffle.”

“We won’t,” I gave him one last kiss, “I love you.”

“Love you, too, baby.”

And just like that, I left Ritsu in the champagne room to recover. As much fun as that was, I needed a drink. Water preferably. And I knew just where to get some. Ideally, it would’ve been the bar downstairs, but Ryoichi had a private bar in the box. I bet they’re all the same. It’s just that one won’t have Shiro and his delightful disposition. Oh, well. When I walked back into the box, a bottle of water was already waiting for me. Damn…Service.

“Well?” Ryoichi hadn’t moved. He still sat in his unnecessarily big chair, waiting for his full report.

“Well what?” I played it off, taking a good, long drink. Mmmm…There’s something about that first drink of water freezing me from my throat to the pit of my stomach. Delightful, “I just made your son a man.”

“Good girl,” he waved me over to him. I didn’t want to do it, but I climbed into his lap just as he asked. Sorry, Ritsu. You understand why I have to do this and I love you for it.

“I’m exhausted, though,” I groaned, “Can I please call it an early night?”

“Of course you can, bluebird,” Ryoichi held my face in his hand, “Go ahead.”

“Thank you,” I smiled sweetly, playing into his hands as much as I could, “I’ll see you on Monday, boss.”

Although, when I got up from his lap, he had a different idea, “Hold on…”

Shit…No. Reila…It’s like you told Ritsu. Not the first boss you’ve played. Not the last. You got this, “Yeah?”

Ryoichi put a finger to his cheek, “Right here…”

I knew exactly what he was looking for. And I didn’t like it. My stomach turned, “Um…I just slept with your son.”

“And?” he brushed me off, “I had you first, Reina. You’re mine.”

I mean, if that was the game he wanted to play, Ritsu’s still winning. For the sake of argument, I kissed his cheek, “There.”

Ryoichi had the most unsettling grin on his face, “See you Monday, bluebird.”

Can I go home now? I’m tired as fuck, I’m sore, and I want to go to bed. The thought of my big ass bed almost threw my body into another orgasm. A full night’s sleep? For an entire weekend? Fuck me, that sounded wonderful. I mean, I won’t be sleeping in my own bed for the most part, but I had the next best thing. Because my body pillow wasn’t enough anymore. I’m just glad things with Ritsu and me got patched up. I’d hate to do the overnight trip when we’re pissed off at each other.

What I don’t like is when the same bitches keep hovering around my bike when I get off work. Seriously, what the fuck was their problem? I grabbed my knife out of my bag and slipped it in my garter belt, “Evening, ladies. We really should stop running into each other like this. Like…Forever. That would be absolutely fantastic. I’d greatly appreciate it.”

“Look at that,” the leader started moving toward me, “Someone’s got a little more fight left in her. I thought we beat that out of you.”

“Listen,” I blew her off, “Do you mind? It’s been a long night. I’m fucking exhausted. And I got a longer one tomorrow. I get that you’re trying to be menacing to scare the shit out of me in order to satisfy whatever fear kink you got, but I just…don’t have it in me tonight. So, if I could just roll over and tend to my headache…”

“Aww…” she put a hand on my shoulder, “Isn’t that cute…”

“She’s tired,” Left Hand shared the same empty sentiment.

“Poor baby’s all tuckered out,” Right Hand got a little too close. Slowly, I started reaching for my knife.

“You know,” Leader backed off, “Maybe she’s right, girls. Maybe we should leave her alone tonight. I mean, if we were tired, we’d want to be left alone, too, right?”

Bitch…I knew this game. Try to come off empathetic, so the other person puts their guard down. That shit is my bread and butter back home. And they fall for it every time. Me on the other hand? I know better, “That’d be great.”

“Hold on,” Leader stopped me. And there’s the attempt of pulling the rug out from under me. Little do they know, I got reflexes like a fucking cat, “What’s it worth to you?”

“No,” I rolled my eyes, “We’re not doing this.”

“So, we’re doubling it?” she mocked my intelligence. Big mistake, “Is that what I heard? Alright. If you insist. Twenty thousand yen, it is.”

“No,” I grabbed my knife and threw my leg over my bike, “Again…It’s been a long day and quite frankly, I don’t have it in me to deal with you. You’re not worth my time.”

Pop!

Leader knocked me off my bike and took my knife, “Excuse me? _I’m_ not worth _your_ fucking time?”

“She’s got an awfully big mouth, boss,” Right Hand took Leader’s side, to no one’s surprise.

“Tell you what…” This bitch had a big pair on her. She made sure I stayed on the ground and held my knife up to my throat, “Either the twenty grand or your vocal cords severed. Your choice.”

I think she was looking for fear here, but she also probably thinks this is the first time I’ve had a knife to my throat. However, my blade does not taste my blood unless it’s absolutely necessary. Like if I had to dig a bullet out of a nonlethal part of my body. I did my best to keep a level head, but I also knew the number one rule of dealing with this kind of situation. Do not let them know I’m scared. I can’t sweat now. There’s a good chance that if she had the balls to hold my knife up to my throat, she may actually cut me. But then, I heard a motorcycle engine roar through the streets. It couldn’t be Ritsu’s bike. His bike was right here.

“I don’t think so, ladies…” That was a woman’s voice. I didn’t recognize it, but I could tell it was a woman, “Leave her alone. That one’s under _my_ protection.”

“I…” Leader dropped my knife to the ground and started backing off, along with the others, “We didn’t know…”

The three of them took off like bats out of hell and I stayed on the ground. Who the fuck was this now? And was she friend or foe? I kept my guard up just in case. But then, she stuck her hand out to me, “You ok, honey?”

“Yeah,” I accepted her peaceful offering. I’m sure she didn’t mean me any harm. But still, a bitch can’t be too careful. I grabbed my knife before I grabbed her hand, which says a whole lot more about me than it does her.

“Gang life is a nasty business,” she gave me a little smile…and her jacket, “It’s best to stay out of it.”

I had never met this woman a day in my life. Yet here she was, giving me life advice and doing her best to make me feel better after having to deal with those bitches, “Thanks…”

“No problem.” And I got a vibe from her…One I haven’t felt in a very long time, “What’s your name?”

“Um…” I still couldn’t be too careful. Just because I got a good vibe from her, that didn’t mean she totally had my trust. For all I know, she could be working for Ryoichi and he sent her as distant security, “Reina.”

“Reina, huh?” she glanced down the street, “You know, one of my best friends used to hang out a lot around here.”

“Really?” Her anecdotes weren’t going to work either. Again, I knew this game.

“Yeah,” she nodded, “Mostly the Viper Pit. It’d be a regular thing. If I ever wanted to find her, nine times out of ten, that’s where she’d be.”

She has to. She has to be working for Ryoichi. She’s testing me. I handed back her jacket, “Thanks for calling them off, but I should be going.”

“We both got out of that life, though,” she went on, shooting a quick smirk my way, “Still going to keep lying to me, aren’t you, Reila?”

My stomach fell to my feet. Shit. My cover’s blown. I’m fucked! No. Rei. Relax. Play it cool. Maybe this is still a test, “Excuse me?”

“I’m Kyoko,” the woman introduced herself, “That friend I was talking about? That was Kiyomi. I’m sure you know her. Don’t worry, honey. You’re safe.”

Ok…Namedropping Kiyomi made me feel a little better. No wonder I got a good vibe from her. But I still needed to be careful, “Can I trust you?”

“Yes,” Kyoko promised, “If I let you get hurt on my watch, Kiyomi would never forgive me. Not to mention, Ritsu would probably kill me, too. I’ve been keeping an eye on you ever since you started at the Viper Pit. She told me to keep my distance and only to jump in when absolutely necessary. I figured you having your life threatened was a good enough reason.”

“Yeah…” Alright. I can trust her. That sounds like something Kiyomi would do. If namedropping Kiyomi didn’t make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, namedropping her son scored her even more brownie points. And I appreciate the extra coverage, “Thank you for that.”

“You already said that,” she put an arm around me, “Go on. You need to be getting home. You got school in the morning.”

“Shhh!” I snapped, keeping my voice down, “Don’t say that too loud around here. You never know who’s listening.”

“Paranoid little shit, huh?” Kyoko giggled, “I like you, Reila. Go on. Go home.”

“Ok…” I threw my leg over my bike, still a bit sore from the fall, and headed straight home. I wasn’t sure what to think about Kyoko, but…she’s alright. Does that mean I’m not going to factcheck her with Kiyomi? Hell no. I had half a mind to go to her place right now and talk it over, but something tells me she’s already asleep. I wouldn’t want to wake her up. She doesn’t need that. 

Instead, I went back to my cozy penthouse and decided on my beautiful bathtub. I can sleep on the bus tomorrow. But tonight, I run a bath and have myself a late night. In a perfect world, I’d crack open that bottle of Hibiki, but I made myself a promise. Not without Ritsu. He stole that bottle for me. The least I could do was wait to drink it with him. But today was a long day. I don’t think whiskey could properly soothe my soul. So, I went with the next best thing. Besides, Ritsu did say he worries about me.

“Hi, princess,” Daddy answered, “How you doing?”

“Hi, Daddy…” I miss him. Still, just his voice set me at ease.

“You doing ok?” he worried, “You sound like rocky waters.”

“No,” I shook my head, “That’s just the bathtub running.”

“No, smartass,” Daddy chuckled to himself, “Seriously, Rei. What’s up?”

“Nothing really,” I kept my new employment to myself. For now anyway. I will tell him eventually. Don’t give me that look, “What about you? How are things back home?”

“I’ve been worse,” he told me, “But for the most part, things are coming along. We’ve been making some major headway on the Bronx. We might actually be able to achieve a peace for the first time in…Shit…Years. The old man was still alive when the big, bad shit went down in the Bronx. And he’s been gone for damn near seventeen years.”

“I know,” I remembered. I was two months old when the old man died. According to Mama, he was one of the first ones to visit her in the hospital after she had me. Victoria and the old man in the same room…Oh, to have been a fly on the wall. Or at least have conscious memory, “How long until it’s a reality?”

“I’m going over to meet with one of the major players in a couple weeks,” Daddy went on, “But speaking of peace…Have you heard from Ritsu lately?”

“I just saw him a couple hours ago.” And had my world rocked in the process, but that’s here nor there, “He gave me your message. Which is half the reason why I called in the first place.”

“Good,” he let out a heavy sigh of relief, “That kid was in rough shape when I talked to him last.”

“What do you mean?” What was Ritsu telling Daddy that he wasn’t telling me?

“He didn’t tell you?”

“I was lucky to get him to talk this afternoon,” I felt a knot twist in my stomach as flashbacks from the hallway ran through my mind.

But Daddy understood. He knew I worried more about Ritsu than I did about most people. And anything to set his little girl’s mind at ease, “He’d probably kill me for this…”

“And then,” I didn’t even hesitate, “I would kill him to avenge your death.”

“That’s my girl…” Daddy awed, “But…Whatever you two do, whatever happens with you in the next couple weeks or so, just…Go easy on the kid. He’s trying his best. His old man set him up. And knocked him off his fucking block. I mean, I know I put you through some shit when I was teaching you how to run things here, but I never would’ve purposely set you up in an uncontrolled environment. You know that, right?”

“Yeah…” I could hardly get a word out. My heart spiderwebbed and fell out of my chest. 

“I want you to stay away from him, Reila,” he demanded, “If you find yourself near Ritsu’s old man, I want you to turn the other direction. He’s a real piece of shit human being. You don’t need to get tangled up with that.”

That’s an explanation for another day. I bit the inside of my cheek, “Ok.”

“Is Ritsu with you now?” Daddy wondered.

“Not yet. He will be shortly, though.”

“Good,” he approved, “Take good care of him, Rei. He needs it.”

“We’re going out of town for the weekend,” I filled him in, turning off my bathtub, “I will.”

“Good girl,” Daddy could bitch us out about the incident before Abuelita’s birthday party all he wanted to. He knew at the end of the day that Ritsu could take care of me and me of him. And he trusted us, no matter how objectionable our methods may be, “I have to go, Rei.”

“Ok,” I let him go, “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you, too, princess.”

Click.

Sorry, Daddy. I know you said to stay away from Ryoichi, but…I still have to work for that. You don’t know that, but it’s an unfortunate nature of the beast kind of thing. As long as he doesn’t make a surprise trip to Japan in the near future, I’ll be fine. It’s bad enough he thought I was a pimp when he came into the host club. He doesn’t need to see me dancing half naked in a night club in Shinjuku ran by local yakuza. That wouldn’t be pretty. I slipped into my bathtub and let all my worries and miseries leave my body.

I knew calling him was a good idea. It rarely wasn’t. But…I knew Ryoichi was a piece of shit when I heard the stories of him making Kiyomi choose between her son and her freedom. This? This was a different level of piece of shittery. Don’t you worry, baby. We’ll get out of it. And we’ll make sure it never happens to anyone ever again. If I had my way, I wouldn’t be working for Ryoichi either, but at least the job is fun. Out of nowhere, I heard my front door open. Right next to my phone sat my beautiful piece of cutlery. A bitch can never be too careful.

“Rei?” Thank God, “Put the knife down, baby. It’s just me.”

“In the bathroom!” I called for him. Good…Ritsu’s home.

“Can…” I could hear him getting closer. And stopping at the door, “Can I…come in?”

“Of course,” I giggled a bit. Oh, Ritsu…You’re adorable. I mean, you’ve seen me naked before. Hell, you’ve seen me naked today! He’s so damn precious. I watched him poke his head in the bathroom from the mirror, “It’s ok, Ritsu…Come here.”

“I am here,” Ritsu sat at the edge of the bathtub, giving me a much more proper welcome.

“No, no,” I moved up a little, “Care to join me?”

“Um…” the red in his cheeks only got worse. And if I didn’t know any better, I’d think his nose was ready to bleed. Ritsu, you fucking dork, we just had sex a couple hours ago. There is no need to be this big of a prude, “Shouldn’t we be getting to bed?”

“We can sleep on the bus,” I insisted, “Please?”

“Fine,” Ritsu let it go. All his clothes fell to the floor and he got in behind me. Immediately, he wrapped his arms around me, making sure to never ever let me go. We needed this, too. As nice as the sex in the champagne room was, we needed some of this, too. Just the two of us. In a bathtub. In my penthouse. Content with the world, “Hey, Rei?”

“Yeah?” I laid my head in his chest, totally prepared to pass out.

“We leave for the overnight trip tomorrow…”

“Today,” I showed him my phone screen, “It’s exactly 1:32AM. After midnight. Therefore, it is now Friday. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.”

“Alright, today,” Ritsu rolled his eyes. Yes. He’s with me willingly. Hard to believe, I know, “It’ll be just you, me, and a bottle of Hibiki.”

“Hey!” I chimed, “You rhymed.”

“Not intentionally,” he kissed the top of my head. I’m such a fucking charmer, “But I can’t wait to get to Osaka.”

“Me either,” I let out a little yawn, “You know…We could start now.”

“You want a drink?” Ritsu asked.

“Yes, please.”

“Ok,” he nudged me off him, “Just one. God forbid we make that ride to Osaka drunk. And with the twins…”

“I wouldn’t allow that,” I promised, “You’ve seen me slightly buzzed. You know I’m a fun drunk.”

“Yes, you are, sweetheart,” Ritsu got out of the bathtub and came back with the bottle. Bless him, “I just hope we get the same room we did last time.”

“That would be nice,” I took the bottle and popped the top on it. Mmm…Aged Japanese whiskey…It hits different in the bathtub, “But with a better bathtub. Because a girl could get used to this.”

“I’m sure she could,” he climbed back into the tub and reassumed the position.

“No,” I elaborated, “This is sorely needed. These nights at the club are killing me.”

“I wish I could do it for you, Rei,” Ritsu ran his fingers down the back of my arm, “But I don’t have that in me.”

“I could always teach you,” I snuggled into him. The image of Ritsu attempting to do the shit I do tickled me. He’d split himself in half on day one. I know it.

“Hell no,” he shot me down, “Ballroom lessons were bad enough. I don’t need you teaching me silks, too.”

“You’re such a baby,” I kissed his cheek. That one sat a whole hell of a lot better than the other one, “It’s really not that hard once you get used to it.”

“That’s with anything, though,” Ritsu threw back a shot from the Hibiki bottle, “But you know what? We should be getting to bed. I know you said we could sleep on the bus to Osaka, but I’d like to get a little sleep before that. If that’s alright with you.”

“That’s fine by me,” I allowed, falling into his arms.

“And I’ll take that…” he put the bottle of Hibiki on the vanity, “When we go to leave tomorrow, do not forget to grab that.”

“I’ll probably use it for mouthwash…”

“Come here…” Ritsu swept me off my feet…Quite literally. I know we put a cap on us getting married, but no one said anything about crossing thresholds. This was cute. I’ll take it. Granted, I was still very naked (Ok, I had a towel on, but it’s not like I had anything on underneath it.), but I didn’t care. We’ve passed the point of modesty long ago. He carried me to bed and tucked me in, crawling in next to me, “Go to sleep, ok?”

“You don’t have to tell me twice,” I laid my head in his shoulder and shut my eyes. Because fuck pajamas tonight. There’s no crime in sleeping naked.

“Good night, sweetheart,” he kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around me. Oh, my ass is sleeping like a baby tonight…This morning…This whole time thing is fucking me up.

“Good night…” The world was now a better place. A peaceful quiet fell over my penthouse and for the first time in damn near a week, I’d finally be able to get some sleep. No matter how short it may be, “Hey, Ritsu?”

“Yeah, Rei?”

“Are you packed already?” I wondered.

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, “That’s half the reason why I took so long getting here. My bag is sitting on the couch. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” I bit my bottom lip, “I, uh…I’m not. I’m very much not packed.”

“Reila…”

“I’ve been working nights all week!” I squeaked, “I haven’t had the time! Since Monday, it’s been wake up, go to school, maybe go to the host club, come home, get ready for work, go work my ass off until midnight, and come home only to start the vicious cycle over again. Where in that timeframe was I supposed to be able to pack?”

“Alright, alright,” Ritsu backed off, “I get it. I mean, I packed in about twenty minutes when I got home, but I understand. You’re a different monster.”

“I’ll pack in the morning,” I groaned, “Just let me sleep, ok?”

“Ok.”

I just wanted to get some sleep…


	27. What We Needed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sup, bitchesss?
> 
> I’m sorry. That wasn’t nice. I didn’t mean to call you bitches. That’s not true. I totally did. But I meant it affectionately. You guys have been around long enough to know how I work. If it sounds like an insult, it’s probably meant with love. But how are we doing? We ready to get back into my boyfriend and I’s misadventures with the morons we’ve come to know and love as our friends? Alright, love is a strong word. But you get what I mean. Hey, you want to hear something neat? Rumor has it, Lumi and Daddy are going to sit down soon. He always did say he wanted to do an autobiography…Anyway, let’s get into it, yeah? Because this week is a damn good week. You know the asshole I fell in love with? Can I keep him?

I don’t get it. When I went to sleep last night, I know Ritsu was here. There’s still a slight dent in the bed where he was laying. I could still smell him on the sheets. But…If that’s the case, then where the hell did he go? A knot started tightening up in the pit of my stomach. The last time he pulled this shit, he ended up going out of town with his dad. And we had to get into a fight in order for him to tell me. I don’t like this. I don’t like this at all. Even worse, Ritsu wasn’t here and I could hear my front door open.

Immediately, I hopped out of bed, piled up the blankets just right, and grabbed my knife from under my pillow. Quiet as a church mouse, Rei. If some dumbass decided to walk in through my front door, chances are, they won’t want to ever do it again. Footsteps got closer and closer to my bedroom. My back was on the wall right by the door. Self preservation, kids. It’s important in situations like this. Alright, asshole. Fuck with me and see what happens. I promise it won’t be pretty for you.

“Rei…?” a gentle whisper came from the hall. Ok…I can let that one live another day, “You awake, baby?”

“And armed,” I tossed my knife on the dresser, “Morning.”

“Good morning,” Ritsu turned the corner and kissed my forehead.

“Where the hell have you been?” I wondered, jumping back onto my bed. 

“Getting you breakfast,” he handed me a cup with my name on it. Bless him.

“I fucking love you,” I gladly took my first sip, letting it run through my body and down to my toes. Mmm…Sweet nectar of the gods. 

“You’re welcome,” Ritsu giggled a little, “We have a long day ahead of us.”

My good feeling was short lived when reality set in, “And I still have to pack…”

Then, in that moment, the cutest little mischievous smile stretched across my boyfriend’s face, “No, you don’t.”

“Uh…” I looked at him like he was on something, “Yeah, I do. I don’t have my bag packed.”

“Your bag is next to mine on your couch, Rei,” Ritsu joined me in bed, “I, uh…Already took care of it.”

My little fucking heart stopped, “You packed for me?”

“You say that like it’s rocket science,” he reminded me, “I watched you pack for Spain. We were going to be gone for two weeks, so you packed for a month. I figured if you scaled it back that since we’ll be gone for a couple days, I should pack enough for a week.”

“I like options,” I shrugged, “Sue me.”

“How about a kiss instead?” Ritsu offered.

One I could never ever refuse, “Thank you. And you did manage to put right things together…right?”

“Of course I did,” he promised, “Come on, Rei. Give me a little credit.”

“Alright.” He did manage to put me in something cute for Roy’s engagement party…with Hikaru and Kaoru’s help. But still, it’s my closet. It’s so damn user friendly. There’s no way he could’ve fucked it up, “Kudos for being on the ball this morning.”

“You’re welcome,” Ritsu wrapped his arms around me, “We got plenty of time. What do you say we start the Osaka trip a little early?”

“Easy, tiger,” I settled him, “I’d love to, but I want to finish coffee first.”

“I got a half dozen donuts in the kitchen, too.”

“I fucking love you, Ritsu,” I would’ve taken him right then and there, but I still needed to get ready to leave, so I got out of bed and went straight into the bathroom. If I had a bathmat on the bottom of my shower, I might have invited Ritsu to join me. But he did share my bathtub with me, so I couldn’t complain. After a quick shower, I shoved all my toiletries in my makeup bag and fixed my face a little. At least my black eye is almost completely gone, so I’ll call that a win. However, when I went to grab my texture spray, that bottle was bone fucking dry…Dammit. I’ll have to find some on the way. Unless…

“Hey!” I called out to my bedroom, “Mr. On the Ball!”

“Yes?” Ritsu piped up.

I knew this was a longshot, but it was worth asking, “While you were out this morning, you didn’t happen to get me any texture spray, did you?”

“What?” he joined me in the bathroom, “The hell you talking about?”

“This stuff,” I held up the empty bottle.

“No,” Ritsu shook his head, “I can, though. I’m sure the store on the corner has it.”

“I doubt it.” Bless him for trying, “Don’t worry about it. I’m sure I’ll find some somewhere eventually.”

“What about everything else?” he asked, “You ready?”

“As ready as I’m going to be,” I grabbed my toiletries bag and the two of us headed out. Soon enough, we’d be back in Osaka and we’d be able to pick up where we left off in the champagne room. With our bags strapped down to the back of Ritsu’s bike, we took off for Ouran…Or so I thought.

Instead of taking the left turn to school, Ritsu kept going straight. I had no fucking clue where he thought he was going. Then again, he knew these streets better than I did. Alternative route, maybe? This was the part that really threw me for a loop. Ritsu pulled up in front of a beauty supply store with the neon on its open sign lit up nice and bright. We were going to end up being late and we’ll have to take the bike all the way to Osaka.

“Ritsu?” I wondered, “What the hell are we doing here?”

“Go get your texture spray,” he insisted, “Hurry up. I’ll be waiting.”

I threw my arms over Ritsu’s shoulders and kissed his cheek, “Somebody better snap you up before I do.”

“Kind of hoping you do anyway,” Ritsu nudged me off the bike, “Go or we’re going to be late.”

“Got it!” I ran inside and sure enough, right on the endcap in a bright purple bottle sat my texture spray. Score! And as an added bonus (let’s be honest. It’s an impulse buy and the impulse aisle sees my ass coming from a mile away), I grabbed a pack of hair ties just to be on the safe side. Mine don’t hesitate to snap on me when I need it the least. And it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. In and out in under five minutes? I’m very proud of myself. I swung my leg back over Ritsu’s bike with the bag in my hand, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he cranked his neck back. Of course, I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass me by. I’ve never been able to Spiderman kiss my boyfriend, but today was a day of endless possibility, wasn’t it? Granted, it was kind of weird, but I wouldn’t mind doing that a time or two again.

By the time we got to Ouran, Ritsu and I may have been the last ones on the bus. There weren’t too many left in the parking lot. So, the two of us hauled ass to our class bus and found a seat toward the back. We needed to save Haruhi from Hikaru and Kaoru anyway. The poor baby was a man without an island and the twins could be ruthless. However, I still wasn’t nearly caffeinated enough to deal with Hikaru and Kaoru. I know we said last night that we’d sleep on the bus, but it was going to take a hot ass minute before we’d get to that sweet state of bliss.

“Well, well,” Hikaru and Kaoru caught my scent, “Look who finally decided to show up.”

“Bite me,” I growled at them, sliding in next to Ritsu. 

“What took you so long, Rei?” Haruhi wondered, thankful the twins left her alone. My god, how long have you been dealing with them, Haruhi? “I was starting to think you and Kasanoda weren’t going on this trip.”

“And miss the overnight to Osaka?” Ritsu chuckled to himself, “No way. We both need this trip too much.”

“A little time out of Tokyo will do us wonders,” I laid my head on his shoulder, content with the world again. Either that or the coffee’s hitting just right. I’m guessing it’s a mixture of both, “But I needed to make a quick stop this morning. Which reminds me…”

“What?” Ritsu watched me dig around in my bag for the magical elixir we almost missed our bus for.

“Do either one of you have a mirror I could steal for a quick sec?” I asked. There it is!

“Got it!” Hikaru, the sweetheart, volunteered, “How big do you need, Rei? Compact, hand mirror, or a full size?”

“There’s no fucking way you have a full sized mirror,” I rolled my eyes, “A hand mirror would be good. Anything that keeps me from using the front camera on my phone.”

“You’re really going to do that here?” Haruhi wondered.

“Why not?” I brushed her off, “It’s not like this stuff has a strong smell. Besides, it smells like a margarita.”

“Is that why you always smell like strawberries?” Ritsu squeaked, “I thought you had some sort of perfume or lotion or something that smelled like that.”

“Strawberry, lime, and coconut,” I read the label, “Nope. Texture spray. And I suggest moving a little, Ritsu. You’re kind of in the splash zone.”

“Thank you,” he moved to Haruhi’s side of the bus while I sprayed my hair. And bless Hikaru for holding the mirror for me. What a guy. After a quick shake of my hair, I managed to make myself even cuter. If that was even at all possible. Yet, here I was, cute as a goddamn button. Good for me.

“Thank you, Hikaru,” I shoved the bottle back into my bag. I mean, in a perfect world, I would’ve touched up my eyeliner and maybe thought about some fake lashes, but fuck it. Not when Ritsu and I are just going to go to the room and crash for the night.

“You’re welcome!” Hikaru put his mirror away. I don’t ask why he has it. I just let them be.

“So, Rei…” Kaoru popped his head over the seat, “I have a question.”

“Go ahead, Kaoru,” I allowed, letting Ritsu back in his spot. Once he sat back down, I scooted my ass right back against his thigh.

“Are we sneaking out again tonight?” he teased.

“No,” Ritsu pulled me into his shoulder, letting me get comfortable again, “We were talking about it last night. Tonight’s going to be a quiet night in for us.”

“Really?” Hikaru and Kaoru stared us down with great skepticism.

“You’re really not sneaking out tonight?” Even Haruhi thought we were off. 

Don’t get me wrong. A little bit of mischief isn’t exactly off brand for Ritsu and me, but we didn’t need to be constantly getting into trouble. And because my boyfriend understands me like no one else, he brought a thermal bottle with more coffee. Bless him, “Yes, really. Ritsu and I are staying in tonight.”

“Hey, Rei?” Ritsu pulled me closer and laid his head on the window, “Wake me when we get there.”

“Will do,” I kissed his cheek and let this poor boy catch up on sleep. God only knows how much of it he’s missed out on in the last few days. Ritsu’s been a fucking trooper today and I’m just glad he didn’t leave me. I would’ve thought for sure after finding out about the night job, he would’ve. I thought that would’ve been the straw to break the camel’s back, but here he is. Using me as his teddy bear. I cuddled into his chest and caught him smiling. Yeah. I don’t think he’s letting me go that easily.

“Rei…” Haruhi was smart. Haruhi kept her voice down. I just hope the twins follow her example, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Haruhi,” I slid over and let her in our seat, “What’s up?”

“Are you really staying in tonight?” she wondered.

“Yeah, Rei,” Hikaru popped up over the seat.

“Are you?” Kaoru joined him. These two exhaust me.

“Yeah,” I opened up my bag, knowing damn well what was hiding in there. A beautiful brown bottle that got opened last night…and the weekend before, “We got a seventeen year old bottle of Hibiki, room service, and two days to make up for four. You’re damn right we’re staying in tonight.”

“You brought whiskey on a class trip?” Haruhi gasped. One would think she would’ve learned by now. Although, I could see Tamaki having the same reaction. It’s kind of cute in hindsight.

“Yep,” I nodded, closing my bag, “We fucking earned that bottle. Someone, without naming any names, swiped that for me at my PA’s engagement party last weekend. That’s some good shit.”

“Well then,” Hikaru perked up.

“Looks like we know where we’re going tonight,” Kaoru decided.

“I wouldn’t trust you two on fucking Boone’s Farm,” I giggled, “There’s no way in hell I’m sharing my Hibiki.”

“Excuse me?” Ritsu grumbled, already half asleep.

“With anyone other than Ritsu,” I clarified, putting him back to sleep.

“Boo,” the twins groaned.

“Too bad,” I curled into Ritsu a little more, his embrace tightening around me, and I shut my eyes. I missed this. I fucking missed this so much, “One of you wake me when we get there…”


	28. Just Let Me Sleep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It’s the internet again! How have we been? Look. If I can be honest for a half a second, I’m not proud of myself in the beginning here. You’ll see what I mean soon, but let it be known that my god, can that boy be my fucking rock some days. Well, the overnight trip. Let’s get to the overnight trip, yeah? That sounds like a plan. 
> 
> Oh, and in case you’re wondering more about that whole biography about Daddy? I’m pretty sure that’s going to be a thing. I stole Lumi’s laptop and there’s this file called the Good Old Days and I doubt it’s about her. It’s…Definitely an eye opener. And I won’t be able to look at Daddy the same, but that’s here nor there. Apparently, that’s going up at the beginning of 2021, so this shithole of a year (on a slight upswing, though. Let no one say I’m not hopeful.) isn’t going to taint my family name. We good? Alright then. Here’s this week’s episode of, “Let’s Watch Rei Be a Mega Bitch for a Hot Second”. Sound good? Alright. Let’s get going then.

“Rei…”

Someone was digging their own grave. I wasn’t sure who. But someone was digging their own grave.

“Rei…” Nudge, nudge, “Wake up. We’re here.”

Slowly, I opened my eyes to see my best friend on the other end of the nudges. Ok. She’s not digging her own grave. I love Haruhi too much to do that to her. And I did ask, “No. I don’t want to.”

“Yes,” Haruhi wasn’t going to back down. In the moment, I fucking loathed her for it. But I knew in hindsight, I’d appreciate it, “We’re here, Rei. You told me to wake you when we get here.”

“And we’re all too afraid to wake Kasanoda,” the twins harmonized.

“Yeah,” Haruhi agreed, “You have to be the one to wake Kasanoda. He might bite one of us.”

“If not all of us.”

“Watch and learn,” I spun myself around, wrapping my legs around Ritsu’s waist. I threw my arms around his neck and laid my head in his shoulder. My voice softened, “Ritsu…”

“Hmm?” Ritsu grumbled, still mostly asleep.

“Carry me,” I ordered, shutting my eyes again.

“Yes, ma’am,” he woke up with me attached to him like a koala and kissed my cheek. Ritsu knew I had core strength for days. He’s seen me do silks routines. But he grabbed both our bags from the floor and threw one on each arm while still carrying me. I fucking love this boy.

“Thank you…” I think I could easily go back to sleep. And fuck, it’s tempting. And to make matters even worse, Ritsu wrapped me up in his hoody and pulled the zipper up my back. I may marry this man.

“You good?” Ritsu looked down at me.

“Quite,” I nuzzled my face in his shoulder and shut my eyes, letting him carry me to our room. I didn’t care if I was coming off as a giant baby. I needed to be babied a bit here. Ritsu grabbed our key and I was so ready for us to run the bathtub and pop the Hibiki. 

“Haruhi!” Tamaki called out from across the parking lot. Fuck…

“Hi, Senpai,” Haruhi grumbled, no doubt hiding her face. So much for me going back to sleep. Still, hanging off Ritsu isn’t the worst thing in the world.

“Hold on,” Tamaki wondered, “Kasanoda…Where’s Rei?”

“She’s in my hoody,” Ritsu told him.

“Hi, Tamaki,” I poked my head out, “I’m here. I promise.”

“Good to know,” Tamaki dropped it, “By the way! Good news!”

“What’s that?” I may be able to go back to sleep yet.

“We’re all going out for dinner tonight!” Tamaki sang.

Balls…I barely lifted my head, “No…I’m going to have to sit that one out, Tamaki. I’m exhausted.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Rei,” Kyoya empathized, “Are the nightmares keeping you up?”

This didn’t smell right. And of course, the twins picked up on the scent, “What would Rei be having nightmares about?”

“Nothing,” I growled, “I don’t have nightmares. Nightmares have me.”

“I don’t know, Rei,” Kyoya thought, “I’d think your nightmares would probably be about snakes…And a lot of them. A whole pit of them.”

Kyoya Ootori, I may kill you, “Dinner sounds fun.”

“Yay!” Tamaki ran off with Hikaru and Kaoru. And Haruhi did her best. Bless her heart.

“Hey, Ootori,” Ritsu stopped Kyoya before he could get away, too.

“Yes?” Kyoya gave him a strange look.

“Back off Rei,” Ritsu snapped, “You obviously know. And if you know, then you know she’s fucking exhausted. So, back the fuck off.”

“What…?”

“He knows, Kyoya,” I filled him in, “I showed Ritsu my night job. You don’t have that to blackmail me with anymore.”

“And she’s a damn good dancer,” Ritsu held me tighter, “Don’t think your routine fell on deaf ears, baby. I caught that.”

“Good,” I loved Ritsu more than a lot of things, but not nearly as much as I loved seeing the light go out in Kyoya’s eyes. I feel kind of smug.

“Alright then,” Kyoya dropped it, “I’ll…respectfully bow out.”

“Thank you,” Ritsu gave him an appreciative nod.

“But don’t worry,” I promised, “I’m still going to the host club dinner tonight. Just let us get a power nap in first before you let Tamaki off the leash, K?”

“I can do that,” Kyoya allowed. However, when the light went out in his eyes, I saw different gears turning. Shit, his brain runs on a generator, “Although, I’d be interested to see what you really can do, Rei. I don’t think anyone in the host club has ever seen you dance before.”

“Nope,” I shook my head, “Just one. And that’s because he had to.”

“Seven o'clock,” Kyoya walked away, “You have until then.”

“Fine,” I checked my phone. Four o'clock…Someone’s feeling generous. Or Ritsu scared the fuck out of him. Sometimes, that mean face comes in handy.

Regardless, the two of us got our room key and went straight into our room. Just like last year. Right down to the one bed. Hopefully, this time, I won’t have fucking nightmares about way back when. And Ritsu won’t end up sleeping on the floor. We don’t have to play rock, paper, scissors for the bed this time. Hard to believe that was a year ago. Hard to believe we’re still together. I thought for sure we would’ve killed each other by now. But here we are. Ritsu placed me on the bed and crawled in next to me. Oh, yeah. This couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Hey, Rei?” Ritsu pulled me into his chest, “Can I ask you something?”

“Is it a life or death thing?” I wondered, burying my face in his ribs. Yes. This will do.

“Kind of.”

“What is it, Ritsu?” I shut my eyes.

“Do I have to go to that host club thing tonight, too?” he asked.

“No,” I let him go. As much as I’d appreciate the moral support and someone to heckle with, Ritsu didn’t need to be put through that, too. I’ve gotten used to it. He hasn’t.

“Are you sure?” Yet, here he was. Still so willing to throw himself in the fire for me.

“Yeah,” I stretched up and kissed his cheek, “I should be alright.”

“Do you want me to come along for moral support?” Fuck, this boy knows me.

I wasn’t going to put him through the wringer like this, but if he’s so kind to volunteer, “Yeah…”

“Ok,” Ritsu pulled my face up to his, giving me a very sweet, reassuring kiss. I think he likes me. I’m not sure, but there’s a good possibility that Ritsu likes me, “Well…Here we are, baby.”

  
“Here we are,” I had a feeling that power nap wasn’t going to happen.

“You know what sounds like a plan?” No…Ritsu…Don’t get up. Don’t leave me here. 

“What?” So much for my comfortable pillow. I don’t think I could pile up the bed pillows in just the right way to make up for it. 

“I’m thinking,” he dug around in my bag. That wouldn’t have happened a year ago without his nose bursting like Vesuvius, “Since we both have to deal with the host club tonight, doing it with a good buzz wouldn’t hurt.”

“Ritsu, I fucking love you,” I swooned. The sweetheart came back with two glasses and the bottle of Hibiki.

“I love you, too,” Ritsu snuck in a quick kiss, “I’m going to go get some ice, ok? I’ll be right back.”

Just when I think I can’t love this boy any more than I already do, he pulls something like this. A bucket of ice. A bottle of expensive whiskey. Dealing with the host club partially drunk. He does get me. And the fact that he’s going to throw himself in front of a bus just for the sake of me feeling better about it…I’m not sure if I owe him for this or if this is his way of paying me back for his trip to Okinawa that he didn’t ask for in the first place. Or maybe it’s something else altogether.

This wouldn’t be him trying to make up for my job at the Viper Pit, would it? Because I went into that willingly. I mean, I did it for his sake, so I could make sure Ryoichi isn’t poisoning him, but with us taking on the entire syndicate, these next few months aren’t going to be pretty. Fingers crossed they go smoothly, but I’m not making any guarantees. Still…He doesn’t ever need to pay me back for keeping him safe. All I ask in return is for his love and to watch my back if I need it. Aside from that, he doesn’t owe me a damn thing. We’re square.

“Here, Rei,” Ritsu took my glass and put a few ice cubes in it for me. Bless him.

“Thank you,” I beamed, over the fucking moon that we were finally going to be able to pop this bottle of Hibiki in the way it was meant to be. In a perfect world, we’d be running the bathtub and indulging ourselves in a repeat of last night…this morning…last night…whenever the fuck that was. All my days have been blurring together lately.

“My pleasure,” he got back into bed next to me, pouring our whiskey, “This is going to be a good weekend.”

“Better than the last?” I wondered.

“Do we have to deal with Roy and his relatives?”

“No.”

“Reila…” Ritsu took my hands, “My dear, sweet Reila…This entire weekend can be the coat closet. With the exception of Roy walking in on us in the aftermath, but you get where I’m going with this.”

“Oh, hell yeah,” I swooned, “But don’t be surprised if there’s unknowingly an audience.”

“Oh, God,” Ritsu gagged, “Don’t tell me the host club groupies don’t understand boundaries…”

“No, no, no,” I clarified, “I never said it’d be the host club groupies listening in. I’m thinking more along the lines of the host club.”

“Eww…”

“Hikaru and Kaoru are voyeurs,” I shrugged, “I mean, I’m not exactly an exhibitionist, but it’s not the worst thing in the world. As long as we can’t hear them…”

“You didn’t give them your blessing, did you?” Ritsu freaked.

“Fuck no,” I swore, “I would’ve ran something like that by you first.”

“If the fucking Hitachiin twins are in the room next door,” he grumbled, “I swear to God, I’m killing someone.”

“You’re not killing anyone,” I settled him, “I don’t think Hikaru and Kaoru are next door. I think Kyoya is. We should be fine.”

“Who’s to say they won’t pay Ootori off for ten minutes?”

“Ten minutes?” I whined, “Come on, Ritsu. You can’t tell me you only got ten minutes in you. I thought we worked that out in the champagne room, so when we got here, you wouldn’t…”

“Jesus Christ, Rei, no,” Ritsu rolled his eyes, his cheeks turning redder and redder by the second, “You’re so lucky you’re cute…”

“I am,” I smiled, “I am pretty damn adorable.”

“Smartass,” he snuggled me tighter.

“Your smartass,” I reminded him, “You’re willingly with me, Ritsu.”

“Never said it was willingly,” Ritsu admitted, “You just…Happened. You weren’t supposed to, but damn, I’m glad you did.”

“What do you mean?” I wondered, “I wasn’t supposed to?”

“Well,” he explained, “It’s not like that. You just weren’t in the plan. I had all intention of running from the syndicate as soon as I could and holing up in the mountains somewhere they couldn’t find me. But then…You came along and ruined my plans of mountain living.”

“Forgive the fuck out of me,” I giggled, “Too bad. Although, if you still want to hole up in the mountains somewhere, the Appalachians aren’t too bad. And they’re not all that far from home. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, the Smoky Mountains are pretty, too.”

“That’s in the US, though,” Ritsu sighed out, “That requires way too much work. Have you ever seen a US citizenship application? It takes a fucking eternity to go through.”

“Someone’s never heard of a green card wedding,” I chuckled to myself, “If only you knew someone with dual citizenship and is living in Japan on a student visa. If only…”

“What?” he teased, “Are you saying we get married for the sake of me becoming a US citizen?”

“That’s doing it the easy way,” I nodded, “But it’s not like it’s totally off the table.”

“A little soon for that, Rei,” Ritsu ran his fingers down my arm, “But your heart’s in the right place. Now, because I know you’re about to get real cranky real quick, how about the two of us finish off what we got and take a little power nap, yeah?”

“That,” I downed the rest of my drink, “Sounds delightful.”

“That’s my girl,” he gave me one last kiss and cradled me against his chest. The gentle rhythm of his heartbeat put me at ease almost instantly, “Good night, sweetheart.”

“Good night,” I shut my eyes and fell right to sleep. This last week has kicked my ass more than I thought it did. Don’t get me wrong. I knew it had, but I thought I was more resilient than this. I could run for days on nothing but caffeine and spite. Where the hell did that Rei go? She’s trying her best, though, and I’m proud of how far she’s come. But for now, she deserved a little rest. Just an hour or so to regain her bearings. 

Knock, knock.

And she got her hour. Almost on the dot, too. Which is the scary part. Regardless, I gave my boyfriend a little nudge, “Ritsu…”

“No.” Wow. That was unexpectedly harsh. 

“Please?” I begged, “Just grab the door…”

“Not happening.” Ritsu wasn’t moving. Well, shit. I could do this. I can manage. I pushed myself out of bed only to have Ritsu’s arm pull me back in.

“What the hell?” I struggled to get back up again. Worse than I did last time.

“If you don’t answer it,” he mumbled in my ear, “They won’t know we’re here.”

“You’re fucking brilliant,” I kissed his cheek, “But you don’t think they can hear us?”

“That’s on you, baby…”

“I’ll be right back,” I promised, peeling Ritsu’s arm off me, “Pinky promise.”

“Fine…” And he’s back to sleep. What a precious little angel. I looked forward to whoever was signing their death warrant on the other side of the door like I would a root canal. Actually, a root canal might be better. However, a girl can’t be too careful. I grabbed my knife out of my bag. Just as much as I thought Ritsu had gone back to sleep, I noticed him sitting up in our bed, “Hey, Rei…?”

“Hmm?”

A little smile graced his face, “Never change.”

“Didn’t plan on it,” I melted inside, leaning against the door. My voice dropped a few octaves, “Who is it?”

“It’s Haruhi, Rei,” Haruhi’s gentle voice called on the other side, “Let me in.”

I threw the door open without hesitation and left my knife on the table, “How’d you know it was me?”

“It’s you,” she shrugged, “I just…do.”

“Hold on…” I had a weird gut feeling, “Where is he?”

“Where’s who?” Haruhi’s blinking started to get erratic. I fucking knew it.

“REILA!” Tamaki popped up out of nowhere and threw his arms around me.

“Son of a bitch…” I mumbled into his shoulder, “You used her?”

“Haruhi was just in case you decided to get bite happy,” Tamaki admitted.

“I should’ve kept my knife on me.”

“Anyway,” he brushed me off, “Are you well-rested yet?”

“For the most part,” I shoved my fist in my eye. I could stand a little more sleep, but nothing a soda couldn’t fix, “Why?”

“We’re leaving in about twenty minutes,” Tamaki filled me in.

“Fantastic,” I slammed the door in his face and started walking back toward the bed.

Knock, knock.

“Fuck me,” I groaned.

“Later,” Ritsu promised, “I don’t have that in me quite yet.”

“Not what I meant,” I giggled a little. I needed that, “Hibiki please.”

“Sure,” he handed me the bottle, “What do you need that for?”

“Like you said,” I did my due shot, “Dealing with the host club is easier with a buzz.”

“Ah.”

I went back to the door and threw it open, “What now, Tamaki?”

“I…” Tamaki looked at me strange, “Why do you smell like my dad after a long day?”

“What?” I wondered, “Like expensive whiskey and more expensive perfume?”

“Yeah!”

“Oh, Tamaki…” I awed, “Someone needs to hug you. You’re not getting any of my Hibiki either. And make sure that gets back to Hikaru and Kaoru, too. I’m not going to explain it to you. I’ll see you in twenty minutes.”

“Hold on!” Tamaki held his foot in the doorway, “You have Hi…!”

“Shut the fuck up, Tamaki!” I snapped, “Not everybody knows that!”

“Come on, Senpai,” Haruhi pulled Tamaki out of the door, “See you soon, Rei.”

“Thank you, Haruhi…” Bless that girl. She deserved the world and even though Tamaki can give that to her, he’s exhausting. Give and take, I guess. I did another quick shot from the bottle and went back to the bed. 

“Do we have to?” Ritsu shared my sentiment. I gladly gave him the bottle, knowing he needed it more than I would.

“It’s not going to kill us,” I assured him, gently kissing his cheek…and down his neck…and down to his collarbone, “Besides, I’m already on my way to being a little drunk. We’ll be fine.”

“Alright,” he put the bottle back on the nightstand, squirming underneath me, “Hey, hey, hey…Easy, baby…Not right now. Suoh said we only had twenty minutes…”

“What?” I teased him some more, “You can’t hammer out a quickie in twenty minutes?”

“It’s not that,” Ritsu nudged me off him, “If we’re going to do that, we’re doing it right. Once we’ve sobered up a little more and we can go for much, much longer.”

“Ok,” I got off him, “Later then?”

“Later,” he gave me one last kiss, “Go on. I’m sure you have a whole rigmarole you want to do before we go and deal with them.”

“I do,” I pushed myself off the bed, “Did you think to pack me anything nice?”

“I packed you options,” Ritsu swore, “I know there’s something nice in there. Maybe even a few somethings nice.”

“Ok,” I grabbed my bag and made my way into the bathroom. Now…Let’s see how well you did, Ritsu. When I dug into my bag, I noticed a familiar pinstripe pattern that absolutely turned me into a puddle. Someone did come to play this weekend. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think this was the dress I wore to Roy’s engagement party, “Ritsu!”

“Yes, Reila?”

I walked out in that cute ass dress, “Care to explain?”

“What?” Ritsu shrugged, “There’s nothing to explain. You look cute in that, so I packed it. Why? Was that supposed to stay home?”

I fucking adore him, “No. It’s alright. It’s fine by me.”

I went back into the bathroom and finished getting dressed. My concealer job was starting to smudge, so touching that up would probably be a good idea. God forbid we give off the impression that Ritsu’s beating me. He wouldn’t even be able to come close. With a quick flick of my eyeliner brush and that bright ass red lipgloss I fell in love with over the summer, I looked damn good. I might take myself home at this point. But I was ready to deal with the host club. At least for tonight.


	29. Derailed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi, friends! So…This is it, huh? I have to recede back into the story and quit with the fourth wall breaking here. Because, by the looks of things, Lumi’s coming up the driveway and she’s kind of the one in charge here. Daddy always told me when he’d be away and I’d be on Uncle César’s shoulder making sure things went smoothly that if Uncle César didn’t hand the keys back as soon as he came back, he’d be short a few toes. I don’t know about you guys and I doubt Lumi would go to those extremes, but I like my toes. I’d rather keep them. So, it’s been real. And it’s been a good time hanging out with you while she’s been away, but don’t worry. I could be back one day. If this doesn’t end before Lumi needs to do another hiatus, I’ll gladly come back. I’ve learned the hard way to never ever say goodbye. That means you’ll never see someone again. See you later is much better. You don’t know how long later will be, but it’s a guarantee we will see each other again. K, love you. X
> 
> …So…Did you miss me? x

We could be in our room right now. We could be getting drunk on good whiskey and finally getting that wicked round of sex we are both so in desperate need of. Or we could be balled up on our bed, sleeping like babies, content with the world. But oh, no. Where did we decided to end up instead? A fucking host club dinner. I mean, I wasn’t exactly being blackmailed into it. I know Kyoya knew better than to run his mouth to Tamaki about my job at the Viper Pit. It’s in Shinjuku and ran by yakuza. It’s not like he’d come see my show. Yet, why the fuck are we here? Because I’m hungry and I’m not paying for dinner. I can’t be too upset.

“Hey, Rei,” Tamaki chimed, “Can I ask you something?”

“What is it, Tamaki?” I was smart and ordered espresso before we got any food. Not only was it a good idea to deal with the host club with a whiskey buzz, but a caffeine buzz can’t hurt, too. That’s why Four Loko and Jager bombs are a thing. And the occasional rum and Red Bull. That’s some good shit right there.

“What’s it like in New York?” he wondered.

“You’ve never been?” I had a hard time believing that one. All these boys seemed like they were well traveled.

“Nope,” Tamaki shook his head, “I don’t think any of us have.”

“I’ve been a couple times,” Kyoya admitted, “But that was a long time ago. Different timeline.”

“Well,” I thought it over, “New York…How to explain New York…It’s a beautiful hub of culture clashes and constant motion. There’s nowhere else like it in the world. It’s changed so much over the years, yet at its core, it’s still the same. And it’s home. Why do you ask?”

“Because,” Tamaki sang, “I was thinking about holiday travel plans and you always talked about New York, so…”

“No,” I shot him down, “We got plenty for tourists. We don’t need anymore.”

“That does sound like a good idea,” the twins agreed, “We should all go!”

“New York for winter break?” Kyoya thought it over, “That doesn’t sound too bad. Count me in.”

“What do you think, Haruhi?” Tamaki threw his arm around her, “You? Me? New York?”

“Hey!” Hikaru whined.

“What about us, boss?” Kaoru shared his brother’s sentiment.

“Where’s your sense of solidarity?”

“I mean,” Haruhi looked to me for guidance. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much to give her. I knew Ritsu and I were going to be going back to New York over the holidays and Haruhi knew that, too. There’s no way she’d want to impose on us like that, but it’d be no imposition. Instead of giving her sage-like wisdom, I gave her a little nod. Because if the boys were coming to my neighborhood, there’s no fucking way I’m dealing with them alone, “I guess that’d be ok.”

“Yay!” the twins sang, “New York for break!”

No…Not yay. I just hope I can get the time off from work. My ass is not missing a trip home. Not when I’ve been away for so long already. Hopefully, Ryoichi will let me go. I mean, I have been quickly moving up the ranks around there and I’m pretty sure I’m his new favorite. He told Ritsu that himself. I was his new favorite toy. But then again, he also told me to go take his son’s virginity after that, so that may still be up in the air. Regardless, I’m sure with the right set of words, the right outfit, and a little bat of the eyelashes, I’ll have him eating out of the palm of my hand. And I’ll be home for Christmas.

“Hey…” Ritsu gave me a little nudge, “I’m not feeling too hot, Rei…I think it’s time we start heading back.”

“Ok,” I wasn’t going to argue with him. Especially if he’s not ok. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to force him to sit here any longer, “Well, boys, as fun as this has been, we’re going to call it an early night.”

“Ok,” Tamaki let us go.

“Good night, Rei!” the twins hummed.

“Night.” And just like that, Ritsu and I were outside again. Although, I couldn’t help but be curious. I knew a lot of Ritsu feeling like shit was typically a mental thing, especially with everything that’s happened in the last week, but once we were back outside, he seemed fine, “Ritsu…”

“Hmm?”

“I’m going to ask you a question,” I told him, “And I want an honest answer. Is that alright?”

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, “Go ahead. What’s up?”

“You’re fine, aren’t you?” I wondered.

A little smile stretched across that boy’s face. I fucking knew it, “No. I was sick of being there. And would you look at that? I’ve made a miraculous recovery. I feel so much better now.”

I threw his arm around me and laid my head against his shoulder, “I fucking love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ritsu snuck in a quick kiss, “Now, if I remember correctly, you and I have a bottle of whiskey waiting for us back in our hotel room. What do you say we run the bathtub and have a repeat of last night? Without you smelling like sweat and shame this time.”

“Who says I don’t still smell like sweat and shame?” I teased, “Maybe I’m still sweaty and shame-y. I mean, I did just come back from dinner with the host club. If that doesn’t make me smell like sweat and shame, I don’t know what will.”

“I think you’re delirious, baby,” he chuckled a bit, “And I know damn well you are not cool with them jumping in on our New York trip.”

“Hell no,” I shook my head, “But lucky for us, it’s a big city. And you can bet your ass that they’re going to end up taking the wrong train at least once. Then, they’re Jersey’s problem.”

“Oh, Reila…” Ritsu sighed out, “What am I going to do with you?”

“What are you going to do with me?” I asked, “I’ll leave that one up to you. For tonight anyway.”

“I’m thinking,” he waved us down a cab, “I go turn on the bathtub. We angle the mirror just right. Turn on a movie. Drink until we can’t see straight. Then, we go to bed. Sound like a plan?”

“Sounds like a hell of a plan,” I wasn’t going to say no to him. Look at that face. I know it’s kind of rough and mean looking, but deep down, it’s so fucking cute. If I could, I’d keep it forever.

By the time we got back to the hotel, I was ready to call it a night. However, the student advisor had other plans for Ritsu and me, “Mendoza!”

“Yes…?” I turned around on my heel.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Um…” I looked at her strange, “My room? If that’s alright? It’s been a long day and I’m kind of tired.”

“With Kasanoda?” Shit…I should’ve known I could only ride this gravy train for a limited time.

“Yes,” I nodded, holding my ground to the best of my ability. 

“No, you’re not,” the student advisor shot me down, “There’s a curfew, young lady. And we don’t allow co-ed rooms on this trip.”

Fuck…I knew it, “In that case, where am I supposed to go?”

“There’s still one of the girls without a roommate,” she checked her clipboard, “Come with me.”

“Go on,” Ritsu allowed, “I know it sucks, but it’ll be ok.”

“Ok,” I threw my arms around him in the most chaste hug we’ve ever had. Yet, I stood on my toes and got in his ear, “You do know I’ll be back tonight, right?”

“I’d expect nothing less from you,” he hid a little kiss on my forehead.

Just what I wanted. My weekend with my boyfriend completely derailed because of Ouran’s bullshit policies. In a perfect world, I’d be staying with Haruhi, but that would mean throwing her under the bus. I know she’s in Tamaki’s room right now. I’m not going to take her away from that. Just because I don’t get to bunk with my man this weekend doesn’t mean she shouldn’t be able to bunk with hers. Besides, they act like I’m staying in the room once everyone’s lights go out. I didn’t the last trip. And I sure as hell won’t be now.

The student advisor gave me my new room key and I braced myself for whatever may be waiting for me on the other side of that door. Looks like I’m going to make a new friend on this trip. Fingers crossed they’ll be more patsy material than management. I took one deep breath and stuck my key card in the door. Don’t be a stalker host club groupie. Don’t be a stalker host club groupie. Don’t be a stalker host club groupie. And don’t be the type to sniff my pillow while I’m asleep.

When I pushed the door open, I needed that bottle of Hibiki back. I left it in Ritsu’s room, though. Fuck me…A head popped out from around the corner, “Rei!”

Fuuuuuck. Just what I fucking needed, “Hi, Luka.”

“I thought you already had a roommate,” Luka wondered, “What are you doing in here?”

“I got moved,” I did my best to keep a level head. Fortunately, I could feel my knife on me and that put me at ease.

“Yay!” she squealed, “It’ll be like a slumber party.”

“Yeah.” I only went to a slumber party once in my life. I was about seven. Mama and Daddy were worried I wasn’t being social enough, so Mama managed to get me into one of the girls in my second grade class’s birthday party. Yeah. I called home real quick. It wasn’t necessarily me throwing a fit that got me kicked out. It was me calling Daddy, begging to come pick me up because I couldn’t stand any of the girls there. Luka would likely be no different. Without another thought, I threw myself onto the bed. My knife hid under my pillow, “Well, good night, Luka.”

“Rei…” Luka sat on her bed, “Can I ask you something?”

“What?” I tried not to be bitchy because Luka didn’t deserve that, but I couldn’t help myself. My whole fucking weekend just got blown and she’s in the splash zone.

“Why don’t you like me?” Holy shit. Wasn’t expecting that one.

“What?” I sat up, “What do you mean?”

“I just…” Luka sniveled a bit. Uh-oh. I only got room for one meltdown tonight. I can’t handle someone else’s, “I have this feeling you don’t like me. Is it because I’m not like the host club boys?”

“No…”

“Is it because I’m not mean faced like Kasanoda?” her voice broke, “Because I can be! Watch!”

Oh, Luka…I pray for the man who ends up with you. She scrunched her face up, trying her damnedest to look tough, but I couldn’t help but giggle. If we’re being honest here, I needed that, “Luka…Stop. Stop with the attempts at a mean face. You just look like you’re horribly constipated. It’s alright that you’re not like the host club or like Ritsu. It’s not you.”

“Then…” Luka started to settle down, “What is it?”

“Look,” I let out a heavy, exasperated sigh. Maybe me being somewhat honest with her will get her off my nonexistent dick, “Growing up the way I did…I don’t trust people easily. That’s just a me thing. I didn’t think you’d become a permanent fixture in my life, Luka. It’s really nothing against you personally.”

But then…A look sparkled in her eyes. One I wasn’t thinking I’d see, “I’m a permanent fixture in your life…?”

“Well,” I winced…Internally, of course. It’s bad for the branding if I let her see me sweat, “You seem to be. Every time I’m hosting, you’re usually in my section.”

“You know, Rei,” Luka smiled, “I’m glad we had this talk.”

That makes one of us. Because I don’t think you got the point of it, “Yeah. Me, too. And hopefully, you’ll be a good cover.”

“Cover?” Oh, dear, sweet, naïve Luka. 

“Once ten o'clock hits,” I filled her in, “I’m going back to my original room.”

“Who was your roommate in your original room?” Luka asked.

“Kasanoda.” That felt weird to say. I haven’t called Ritsu by his last name in ages. Hell, I think I called him Ritsu our first time here. 

“You can’t do that.” Oh, great. A law abiding citizen, “They don’t allow for coed rooms. That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?”

“Oh, Luka,” I awed, “You’re adorable. Really, you are.”

“No,” Luka put her foot down. Someone’s feeling brave, “Really, Rei. I don’t want you to get in trouble. And I don’t want to get in trouble either.”

“Alright…” Joy. Looks like I’m going to have to sneak into Ritsu’s room _and_ sneak out of my room. Always remember, kids. Snitches get stitches and I sleep with a knife under my pillow. Well, don’t let anyone say I didn’t like a challenge. If this was what it would take for us to make up for lost time, then so be it. Besides, we’d be back in town Sunday and off school Monday, so we could always do our own overnight trip. Hakone’s always a good idea. Or Karuizawa. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss Misuzu. And if we weren’t feeling up to traveling, Ritsu could always crash at my place for a while.

Ring, ring!

Thank fucking Christ. I gladly jumped on my phone, “Hello?”

“Go out on your balcony,” Ritsu ordered, “I like it better when I can see you when we talk.”

I sure as fuck wasn’t going to turn that down. I walked outside and closed the balcony door behind me, noticing Ritsu a few doors down. He gave me a little wave. I giggled and shook my head, “You’re such a dork.”

“It’s better than nothing,” he pointed out, “I miss you, Rei.”

“I miss you, too,” my heart snapped in two.

“So?” Ritsu wondered, “How’s your new roommate?”

“My resident host club stalker,” I grumbled, “I’m ecstatic.”

“Sounds like it,” he chuckled, “I’m sorry. I mean, it could’ve been worse.”

“Yeah,” I teased, “I could’ve ended up with some asshole with a mean face and a bottle of whiskey. He might corrupt me and take my innocence.”

“Didn’t my dad tell you to take my virginity the other night?”

“Yeah,” I held back a smile.

“And yet, I’m the one who’s going to corrupt you,” Ritsu groaned.

“Hey,” I argued, “Whose idea was it to sneak off before Abuelita’s birthday party this summer?”

“You can’t use that against me, Reila,” he got up from his chair on his balcony…Our balcony, “You know how that ended up happening.”

“I do,” I nodded, “Luis told you that you didn’t have the balls to do it, so you grew a pair.”

Which reminds me, I need to send my cousin a fruit basket, “Well worth it, though, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, hell yeah…” I missed our trip to Spain. That was fun.

“So,” Ritsu hoped, “You _are_ going to be back tonight, right?”

“Duh,” I rolled my eyes, “You really think I’m going to let Luka stop me? Come on, Ritsu. Give me a little credit here.”

“Sorry…” I missed him.

“Hey, Rei?” Speaking of Luka, she stuck her head out the door, “I hate to interrupt your phone call, but room service is at the door for you.”

“Really?” I looked at her weird, “Ok. Hey, Ritsu?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll be right back,” I put my phone on the railing and walked inside. What the hell would room service be bringing me? I don’t remember ordering anything, “Can I help you?”

“I have a delivery for you, Miss Mendoza,” he smiled sweetly, handing me a box of chocolate, half a dozen roses, and a glass with a deep brown liquid in it. And it smelled so good…

“Thank you,” I melted inside. Gee. I wonder where these came from. When I walked back outside, I grabbed my phone and started nursing my whiskey, “Ritsu, I fucking adore you.”

“I love you, too,” Ritsu chimed on the other end, “Who was at the door?”

“Someone ordered me room service.” And I was doing all I could to keep myself from crying. Not in front of Luka. Not again. She didn’t need to see that.

“I might have made a little phone call when I got back to the room,” he gladly took credit for that, “You were fucking miserable, Rei. You know what that does to me.”

“I’m sorry,” I bit my bottom lip, “I promise I’ll be back tonight. Just…Let me wait until Luka falls asleep, ok?”

“I’ll see you tonight, baby.”

“Aishiteru…”

“Te amo.”

Click.

Is it bad that I’m considering giving my roommate NyQuil? Because I don’t want to wait much longer.


	30. Escape Route

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. Did you miss me? Because fuck, I missed you. It’s been a hell of a month. I’m going to be totally honest with you. As far as my NaNo project is concerned (which will be going up on FictionPress starting the beginning of the year in case you’re curious), I finished in a little under two weeks with 83K. I hit the 50K mark a week in. But all in all, everything went pretty great. With the exception of the end of the month where something really shitty happened. I lost my dog. My baby girl. The one creature that looked at me like I was her entire world for the last 16 (almost 17. Her birthday’s in January) years. But we’re not here to get sad. We’re here for a lovely pair of angels (relative term) and their shenanigans. And the crazy kids that occasionally tag along. Oh! But I do have a surprise for you, friends…
> 
> Those of you who hang around the livestream already know about it, but this is me getting it down in writing, so…Starting the 4th of January, the first Monday of 2021, on my Tumblr, we’re going to get a new story kind of tied in with this one. If you were ever curious about how Rei came about…All the way back to the beginning…Like the story of how Frankie and Vanessa happened…Well, it’s going to go the same as this, just on my Tumblr. Because I can’t classify it as fan fiction because there won't be any canon characters in it and it’s too tied up in a fan fiction to be considered original. So, we’re going to get it every Monday at noon (maybe an hour before or after, because I’m going to go back to posting Castlevania in the beginning of the year, too. Or queue it up. I’ll figure that out and keep you posted, but the first chapter is going up on January 4th! I know that much. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to shut up and get some lunch because I’m fucking starving. Love you x

Finally. Ten o’clock on the dot. I knew what was coming next. In fact, I anticipated it. To the point where I sat out on the balcony, looking toward my objective. When we left this morning, I had plans. And those plans involved carnal fucking relations with my boyfriend after we polished off a stolen bottle of whiskey. Nowhere in that did I say being cut off by some fucking uppity ass student advisor saying I couldn’t share a room with him. And I DEFINITELY didn’t say bunking with Luka was a part of those plans either. But it looks like I’m going to have to give those plans up. So much for that idea…Fuck, I couldn’t even think that one with a straight face. 

I heard a knock at the door. Surprise, surprise. Thankfully, Luka got it. She realized my ass wasn’t getting up and getting that bullshit. If I were to come face to face with the student advisor right now, I’d blow right the fuck up, but I could still hear her at the door, “Bed checks…Hold on…Where’s…?”

“I’m right here!” I groaned, “On the balcony. I haven’t moved and I don’t plan on it.”

“Alright,” she receded back into the hall, “Good night.”

“Good night!” Luka sent her off with more intestinal fortitude than me. I wish Ritsu would’ve sent the whole damn bottle of Hibiki, but the drink was nice. However, Luka figured it was totally ok for her to come onto the balcony with me. That girl needs to learn what personal space is real quick, “You know what, Rei?”

“What, Luka?” I had my head back and my eyes shut, doing my best to fight off a headache. I knew of an easy way of that headache going away.

“You know what we should do tonight?”

Shoot bleach? Shoot NyQuil? Make sure you fall asleep first, so I can go fuck my man? I like the sound of that one, “What, Luka?”

“We should stay up late,” she suggested.

What a little hellraiser, “Wow, Luka. I never guessed you to be the rebellious type.”

“I know we shouldn’t,” Luka admitted, not picking up on my sarcasm at all, “But still, it’s the overnight trip. I know we still need to follow the rules while we’re here…But it’s alright to stay up a little later than ten o’clock, don’t you think? I’m not even really all that tired.”

That’s not something I wanted to hear, “Luka, I’m kind of tired. If it’s cool with you, I really just want to go to bed.”

“Come on, Rei,” she nudged me a bit. We’re not buddies. You seem to forget that, “There’s no reason we can’t have a little fun tonight.”

In a perfect world, I’d be having my little bit of fun a few doors down and be well on my way to being drunk off my ass, but I’m sitting here with you instead. Lucky me. I pushed myself up from the chaise lounge on our balcony and started heading back inside, “I understand, but I’ve gotten shit for sleep in the last week. Collectively, I probably have eight hours under my belt. I’m tired as all hell.”

“Oh…” Luka backed off. Thank fucking Christ, “Ok. Good night then.”

“Good night,” I buried myself in my blankets, doing all I could to keep myself awake. I needed her out in the next hour. Chances are, she’ll be out in the next thirty minutes. And little did Luka know, when I got into bed, I made damn sure I had my phone on me. I turned my brightness down as low as it could go and opened up a new text.

_Clean up the place real nice for me._

_I’ll be there soon. ;)_

_-RM_

Bzz…

_I’m waiting…_

_-RK_

I wasn’t expecting the photo attachment…And I sure as hell wasn’t complaining. Have I mentioned how much I love my boyfriend? Because sometimes, he sends me some damn nice pictures. And I am never going to turn down a shirtless shot of Ritsu. Fuck me…To think, that was all mine. And it would be all mine in the next half hour or so. Someone is feeling spicy tonight. I couldn’t wait to get over there. After half an hour had gone by, I peeked over at Luka. Just to the point of drooling on herself. Cute. Real cute. Hard to believe you have a hard time keeping a man.

Now? I think now would be a good time to go curl up in bed with my boyfriend. Just because you can’t keep a man doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to. This could still prove difficult. I don’t know if Luka’s a heavy sleeper or not. I just needed to be careful. That’s all. I grabbed my room key off the table and peeked out the door. By the looks of things, the coast is clear. Sleep well, Luka. Because for the next few hours, I am going to sleep like a fucking baby…Or not. Ritsu’s a little riled up tonight. I may not be sleeping quite yet. As carefully as humanly possible, I closed the door behind me, making damn sure I didn’t wake Luka. Wonderful…Now, I was not only free to move about as I saw fit, but I could go get laid without repercussions. Hell yeah!

“Someone’s out of bed…”

“…when she shouldn’t be…”

“Where do you think you’re going, young lady?” Hikaru and Kaoru snuck up on me. I wasn’t expecting to see them. But I suppose it could be worse.

“I…”

“We knew you weren’t staying in,” Hikaru teased.

“So,” Kaoru threw an arm around me, “Where are we off to tonight?”

“ _We_ aren’t going anywhere,” I shot them down, “I’m sure as fuck not going anywhere tonight. I got better plans in mind. My room ended up getting switched. I’m going back to my original room, if that’s alright with you.”

“If it’s not?” they both grilled me. Daddy wouldn’t even be this bad.

“Just both of you,” I demanded, “Shut the fuck up. Both Ritsu and I need tonight. Do you mind?”

Hikaru and Kaoru took a moment away from me to deliberate. When they came back, Hikaru draped his arm around my shoulders, “We won’t say anything.”

“Thank you,” I relaxed a bit. This felt almost too easy. Was this the one time the twins were going to completely let me off the hook?

“On one condition,” Kaoru got my other side. Dammit…So much for that idea. Should’ve known there’d be strings attached.

“Alright.” Should’ve seen that one coming, “What do you want?”

“Some of your Hibiki,” Hikaru bargained.

“Again,” I rolled my eyes, “I wouldn’t trust you two on fucking Boone’s Farm. You’re not getting any of my Hibiki.”

“Then, it looks like…”

“…You’re not getting any alone time with your boyfriend…”

Fuck, these two drove a hard bargain. And I hated them for it. However, if this were under any other circumstances, I’d be impressed, “Fine.”

“Yay!” I hated them. I hated them so fucking much right now. Whatever kept them quiet at this point. It’s not like we didn’t have an overabundance of it anyway. There’d still be plenty left to get Ritsu and me through the weekend. So, the twins and I took a little walk down the hall. I needed my man and Hikaru and Kaoru needed a buzz. Who was I to stop them?

I pulled out my other room key (the better one, if we’re being honest here) and pushed the door open, “Ritsu?”

“Hi, Rei…” I could hear it in his voice. Ritsu was ready.

“Sorry, baby,” I winced, keeping Hikaru and Kaoru in the doorway, “Not tonight. Put some pants on. We got company.”

“Why the fuck do we have company?” Never did I ever think I’d have to be the one to cockblock my boyfriend. Mistakes were made.

“It’s just Hikaru and Kaoru,” I settled him, “It’s not like I was trying to orchestrate a threesome.”

“Foursome,” they so kindly corrected me.

“Not that we’d really say no,” Hikaru admitted.

“But Hikaru…” Kaoru teased, “You’d get too greedy.”

“You’re not wrong…”

“Alright,” Ritsu cut them off, “I don’t need to hear about that.”

“Prude!”

“And damn proud of it,” Ritsu groaned, “Reila…?”

“I’m still here,” I didn’t know why I was waiting by the door. I walked in to find Ritsu already on our bed, hurriedly putting his pants on. Not what I had in mind either, but it’s what we had to live through, “Hi, baby.”

“Hi,” he stole a quick kiss from me, “Care to explain why the fucking Hitachiin twins are here?”

“Where’s our whiskey?” I asked.

“In the fridge,” he nodded toward the corner, “Why?”

“Because,” I grabbed a bottle of water and dumped it out. This wasn’t my first rodeo. I knew what I was doing. Because sometimes when Daddy and I go to Spain, he doesn’t know how plastered I get when I’m around my cousins. I started pouring some in the empty bottle, “We need to keep Hikaru and Kaoru quiet or we’re not boning this weekend.”

“I’m sure we’d find the time elsewhere,” Ritsu figured, “But I get it. We only get one first night here.”

“We wouldn’t mind!” they called from the door.

“Oh, I know,” I rolled my eyes, “That’s one of those things where all parties need to be consenting.”

“Thanks, Kasanoda,” Hikaru whined.

“Way to be the buzzkill,” Kaoru agreed.

“Who says I’m the one being the buzzkill?!” Ritsu snapped.

“Because,” Hikaru assumed, “Rei would probably be into something like that.”

“Are you calling me an exhibitionist?” I wondered.

“Aren’t you?”

“Not really,” I shrugged, “But I’m not saying yes to that either. And no, that doesn’t mean watch without us knowing. That’s when you get your asses beat.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Hikaru threw his arms around me.

“You love us too much,” Kaoru followed suit.

“You two ever see Ritsu and me in a fight together?” I asked.

Immediately, they both let me go. I figured as much. But dammit, Ritsu had to go and open his mouth, “Rei, we’ve never fought together. Each other? Yes. We do that on a daily basis. But we’ve never fought together.”

“That’s because we’d be a powerhouse, baby,” I sat in Ritsu’s lap, “Imagine you and me in the Narrows…Oh, that sounds wonderful.”

“What’s the Narrows?” the twins wondered.

“Rei’s territory back home,” Ritsu gushed, “That does sound fun. Maybe when we’re feeling rusty.”

“Alright, boys,” I handed over the water bottle, “Now, a word of warning, do not drink this straight. Mix it with something. Anything. Personally, I’d go with a little apple juice, but do not drink this stupidly. Pace yourselves. And once you start, do _not_ leave your room. I don’t need this shit getting traced back to me. Got it?”

“Got it,” they nodded. It sucks that we only have half a bottle left, but I’m sure I know a certain someone who could get sticky fingers at the Viper Pit for me. I know damn well they serve Hibiki there. Or, since I’m so cozily nestled in Ryoichi’s pocket these days, I bet I could just bat my eyelashes at him and it’d be mine.

“Good,” I waved them off, “Now, go away and ignore any strange noises you may hear coming from our room, ok?”

“Fine…” the twins grumbled, “Thanks, Rei!”

And just like that, they were gone. As soon as I heard that door click, I could fully unclench. But more importantly, I had bigger and better business to attend to, “Alright. Now, you can take your pants off.”

“Wait,” Ritsu thought, “Didn’t you say not tonight?”

“Did you really think I was going to say yes to you while Hikaru and Kaoru were here?” I scoffed, “Come on, Ritsu. You’re better than that. There’d be too high of a chance of them ingratiating themselves into our sex life. Do you really want that?”

“No, ma’am,” Ritsu gave me a quick kiss, “Good call.”

“You’re welcome,” I beamed, “Now…Sex, yes or no?”

“Yes, please.”

And Ritsu couldn’t get his pants off quick enough. In his defense, I couldn’t either. We were both still wound up from last night and our tryst in the champagne room. Not to mention, those hellish four days we spent apart. In a perfect world, I wouldn’t have said no to a quick sparring match beforehand, just to really get us both going (because apparently, foreplay isn’t enough), but neither one of us had the energy for that. We barely had sex in us, but no one was going to say no. And by the time we were done, I think I’d take what we just did over the champagne room any day of the fucking week…

Once all was said and done, we were both completely and utterly fucking spent. I came back from the bathroom and laid my head in Ritsu’s shoulder, “Hey, Ritsu?”

“Yeah, Rei?” he held me closer, letting me feel his chest rise and fall with every breath he took.

“That…was fucking wonderful.”

“That’s usually the plan,” Ritsu cuddled me.

“I’m exhausted,” I admitted, kissing a spot on his chest.

“Then, stay,” he begged, “Please? I don’t want you going back to your room.”

“I can’t,” I hated it just as much as he did. I’d love nothing more than to fall asleep right here in Ritsu’s arms, content with the world and pleasantly drained, “I know it sucks. I wish I could stay, too, but…”

“I understand,” he allowed, giving me another kiss. This one a bit deeper than the last, “You’d rather go stay with Luka than stay with me.”

“Fuck you,” I gave him a smack to the chest.

“I know, I know,” Ritsu laughed a bit, “You don’t want to go either.”

“You’re an asshole,” I giggled with him, “There’s always tomorrow after everyone’s left for the day.”

“That’s my girl,” he ran his fingers down my spine, “Although, I don’t know how well that’s going to work out.”

“Why?” I looked up at him in confusion, “What the hell do we have planned for tomorrow?”

“I can’t tell you that,” Ritsu shut his eyes, “It’s a surprise. You don’t have any business with the host club to contend with, do you?”

“Not that I know of,” I thought it over, “But you know how fucking scatterbrained Tamaki is.”

“I know,” he pulled me against his chest, “But this was also supposed to be our weekend for us to be us. Tell him your sick or some shit.”

“And have the host club at my door trying to take care of me?” I scoffed, “Hell no. I’d rather actually be sick.”

“You want me see if I can pull some strings?”

“I appreciate it, Ritsu,” I kissed his cheek, “But you don’t have to do that. We’ll have all day tomorrow. If I do have some sort of obligations to the host club tomorrow, it’ll only be for an hour or two at the most. We’ll be alright. K?”

“Ok,” Ritsu didn’t want to. I could feel it in his embrace. He didn’t want to let me go. And I would’ve killed someone to be able to keep him. But despite all that, I needed to get back before my narc roommate knew I was gone. 

“Hey, Ritsu…?”

“Yeah, baby?”

I took one more drink from the Hibiki bottle and got one last kiss from my boyfriend, “I love you…”

“I love you more,” he cradled me, “You have to go now, don’t you?”

“Unfortunately.”

“Nine o’clock,” Ritsu shoved a finger in my chest, “I will be at your door at nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“Deal.” What was I supposed to do? Tell him no? Fuck that. I don’t care if he shows up at 6AM just to make sure I was doing ok. I’m pretty sure that’s when our curfew got lifted. Six or seven. One of the two. Just as carefully as I snuck out, I snuck back into my new room and crawled into bed. As long as my narc roommate didn’t hear me, I was golden. 

I miss him already. I did the best I could to force myself to sleep and eventually, I managed to fall asleep. Although, I fell asleep a little colder than I’d like to. Ritsu’s body was a space heater and I loved him for it. Instead, I wrapped myself up in every blanket I could find in our room that wasn’t on Luka’s bed. Granted, it wouldn’t totally make up for not having Ritsu here, but it would be good enough. Just something to help me sleep for the most part.

However, the next morning would prove to be a little something different. When I woke up, I heard a voice and felt a hand on my shoulder, “Rei…?”

“Hmm?” That was weird. My throat felt thick. I don’t like it. Even more so, I didn’t like what I saw when I finally opened my eyes. When I fell asleep, I was alone in my bed (much to my chagrin). When I opened my eyes, Luka figured it was an ok fucking thing to do to be on my bed. 

“Are you ok?” Luka worried.

“What the fuck are you doing on my bed?” I grumbled, sitting up a little better. No…Rei…Remember…Keep up appearances for just a little while. You can do it.

“It’s just…” she didn’t seem too affected by it, “You were crying in your sleep last night.”

“I…What?” I looked down at my pillow and sure enough, it had a wet spot on it. I just thought I got drooly last night. 

“What’s wrong?” Luka asked, still treading lightly.

“Nothing,” I shook her off, “Allergies must have been getting to me. I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” she was fishing. I’m still half asleep, bitch. Back the fuck off.

  
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I nodded, “I’m alright. I appreciate the concern, Luka, but I’m fine.”

I missed my man, though…


	31. Stranger Things Have Happened

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, you cute little beans. I hope today finds you in high spirits and with the best of intentions. Kind of like these two crazy kids I know and love dearly. Well, why don’t you get in touch with them and I’m going to be…I don’t know. Over here. 

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I think I might have gone back to sleep. The last time I remember looking at a clock, it was around six. Now, here I am, waking up at nine…When I looked around the room, I was the only one here. That’s weird. Last time I checked, I had a pain in the ass roommate. Luka was nowhere to be found. I mean…Not that I’m complaining. I’d rather be in a room by myself if I couldn’t have a room with Ritsu.

Knock, knock.

There’s what I’m looking for. Speak of the devil. I rolled out of bed and gladly bounced to the front door, “Hey, ba…You’re not Ritsu.”

“Good morning, Rei!” Tamaki chimed on the other side. Son of a bitch. Yeah. You’re definitely not Ritsu, “Were you going to call me baby?”

“No,” I grumbled, “The fuck did you want, Tamaki?”

“Nothing,” he backed off, “Just thought I’d check in.”

He wanted something. I could smell it, “I’m sure. How I’m doing depends on what words come out of your mouth. So, what do you want, Tamaki?”

“I thought I’d deliver some news personally,” Tamaki was one of those people that no one wants to deal with right away in the morning. Especially when he’s probably been up for the last two hours. I can’t deal with him when I don’t have caffeine in my system.

“Did you get Haruhi pregnant?” I figured.

“No,” he shook his head, “I just thought I’d tell you the host club is doing another pop-up café!”

“Again?” I groaned. I should’ve known this was coming, “Alright. Give me twenty minutes to pull myself together. I’ll be down in a minute.”

“See,” Tamaki stopped me, “That’s where the news comes in. You can sit this one out.”

“Seriously?” I perked up. Yet, I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, “Hold on. What’s the catch?”

“No catch,” he assured me, “I talked to Luka this morning…Are you doing ok, Rei?”

“I’m fine,” I lied through my teeth, “Why?”

“When I was talking to Luka this morning,” Tamaki went on, “She said you were crying in your sleep last night. Are you sure you’re doing ok?”

Dammit, Luka. Of all people for you to bare my soul to, Tamaki Suoh is not the one that needs to hear about any of my personal problems. And that includes when I get weepy when I’m sleeping. Besides, it’s not like I can tell him that I’m being overworked and overappreciated. That would lead to him asking way too many questions. Tamaki wouldn’t be able to keep his mouth shut about me working at the Viper Pit and my ass would end up out of the country. I’m not dealing with that. That’s putting me too far away from the things that matter on this end of the world. There’s no fucking way I’m letting that happen. She and I will have words later.

“I’m fine, Tamaki,” I swore, “Really.”

“She’s fine, Suoh,” a rumbly voice made Tamaki’s blood go cold. However, it’s the strangest thing. That same voice had the exact opposite effect on me, “Leave her alone.”

“She’s even more fine now,” I melted inside, nudging the stone statue that used to be Tamaki out of the way, getting a little closer to my man, “Morning, baby.”

“Good morning,” Ritsu didn’t show his softness to many and certainly not in mixed company (and by mixed company, any member of the host club that bordered on psychotic was on that list), but this morning told a different tale. Not that I’m complaining, “Go get ready, ok? We got plans today. And nowhere in those plans…”

“Ritsu,” I settled him before he could get all worked up, “It’s cool. Tamaki came by to tell me I don’t have to work the pop-up. We’re clear for the day.”

“Oh,” he let it go, putting a hand to Tamaki’s shoulder. I think he might have made him worse, but oh, well, “Thanks, Suoh. Now, get the fuck out of here before I throw you to Rei.”

“Yes, sir!” And just like that, Tamaki took off like a bat out of hell. Have I ever mentioned how much I love my boyfriend? Because fuck, I love him.

“Call your mom,” I pulled him into my new room, “See if you can stay over tonight.”

“I have no doubt Mom would be ok with me staying over,” Ritsu held me tight, “I missed you last night, Reila…”

“I missed you more,” I admitted, “Apparently, I got teary eyed in my sleep last night and it freaked out my roommate.”

“It sucks you still have to bunk with Luka,” he pouted, “But imagine what it’s going to be like Sunday night.”

“All bets are off, sweetheart,” I promised, “What are you thinking? Hakone? Karuizawa?”

“I’m thinking Karuizawa,” Ritsu decided, “Quiet, secluded, far enough away from the family bullshit.”

“You do know,” I reminded him, “I have to be back in town by seven, right?”

“You have to work Monday night?”

“Unfortunately.” I say unfortunate. I actually like my job. I like what I do. I don’t like the reasons why I have to do it, but the general work of it? I’m down for it.

“Well,” Ritsu nudged me along, “Go on. Go get ready. We’re not totally on a time crunch, but we do have a little bit of a time crunch.”

“Ok,” I got up from Ritsu’s lap and out of nowhere, a horrible, evil, wonderful idea popped into my head, “Hey, Ritsu…?”

“Yes, Reila?”

“You know what sounds like fun?” I smirked, “Because she’s not here to tell us no and she’s not here to stop us?”

“We’re not having sex on Luka’s bed,” Ritsu shot me down, “Again, loose time crunch.”

“You’re no fun,” I scrunched my face up at him, “But you’re cute, so I’ll let it slide.”

“Love you, too, Rei.”

I dug around in my bag and grabbed something cute. Damn, Ritsu. You really did come through for me on this. Everything could go with each other. He didn’t grab one single outfit. And he gave me options! Goddamn, I might marry this boy one day. Shower. I definitely needed a shower. After last night, I still could use the shower. It wasn’t the naughtiness that went down in Ritsu’s room last night that had me all dirty. It was the thought of having Luka in the bed next to me that made me feel icky. But I digress. 

A shower and a short skirt later, I threw my boots on and did a quick spin for Ritsu, “Well? This is the part where you tell me I’m cute, Ritsu.”

“You are cute,” I missed the good old days when Ritsu couldn’t look at me without his nose bursting like a volcano, “I don’t ever have to doubt that.”

“Aww…” I gushed, “Ritsu, you think I’m cute.”

“You think I’m with you for your mind?” he pulled me into his lap, “Of course not. It’s that cute little face and that thick, Spanish ass of yours.”

“That’s so weird,” I kissed his cheek, completely knowing better, “I’m with you for the same reason. Right down to that thick Spanish ass.”

“I don’t have a…” Ritsu let me have that one, “Are you ready yet?”

“Yeah,” I looked myself over one last time, “I should be good. Yeah? You think?”

“I think so,” Ritsu got me off his lap, “Let’s get going, yeah?”

“Ok.” In my own, special way, I looked damn good. And to tie everything together, I stole Ritsu’s hoody. It’s too warm and too cozy and I freeze easily. One stiff breeze this morning and I’d be fucked. And not last night’s kind of fucked either. Regardless, I had no idea what Ritsu had planned for us today, but I trusted him. When we got downstairs, Ritsu and I started walking through the lobby. Only to find the long ass line that stretched down the hall.

“What the fuck…?” he wondered, just as confused as I was. But still, I had a gut feeling I knew exactly what this was for. As we got closer and closer to the front of the line, we found the beginning of it. I didn’t think the host club pop-up was going to get _this_ much traffic. Holy shit, Kyoya. You are a one man advertising powerhouse and I hope you’re proud of yourself. Ritsu rolled his eyes, “Should’ve known.”

“I’m so glad Tamaki let me out of this one,” I let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“Dare we?” Ritsu suggested.

“Hard pass,” I shot him down, “Fuck that.”

“Are you sure?” he jabbed, “Who knows? Maybe it could be a weird catharsis for you.”

“Fuck. That.” Why the hell would I want to deal with the host club on my one day off? I got better shit to do. I don’t know what that is quite yet, but it sure as hell beats doing this.

“Think about it, Rei,” Ritsu only made it worse, “If you were to get a seat at the host club’s pop-up, imagine in the kind of verbal abuse they’d be forced to take for the sake of keeping one of their beloved princesses happy.”

“I do like inflicting verbal abuse on the host club,” I admitted, “But I’m going to have to pass. This long ass line isn’t worth it.”

“Alright,” he threw an arm around my shoulders, keeping me safe from the pains in my ass that would likely give me some sort of puppy eyes to come work the pop-up. Nope. Fuck that, “I understand. You’re finally getting a day off from the host club. And on the overnight trip. You deserve it.”

“Thanks, baby,” I laid my head in his shoulder, “So…? What’s my surprise?”

“You’ll see,” Ritsu promised, “A little patience, Reila. That’s all I ask. That’s the thing about your surprise. You have no idea how under the radar this had to be in order for it to go off without a hitch.”

“Really?” I wondered, “What? Did you have to kill a man in order for it to work?”

“Not quite kill a man,” he thought it over, “But…Well, you’ll see. The first part…The first part is…Let’s just say it’s within the family’s network.”

“What is it?” It’s a good thing I grew up the way I did or Ritsu speaking in code would be like him speaking in tongues. So, it’s got Kasanoda syndicate ties. Neat.

“You’ll see,” Ritsu flagged down a car for us and the two of us took off somewhere a little off the main strip of Osaka. We pulled up to this dark oak building that looked weirdly like a log cabin. I kind of like it. Ritsu got out and offered me his hand, “Come on.”

“Ritsu,” I asked him, “Where the hell are we?”

“When the girls get their time off at the club,” he explained, “This is where we send them for some R&R. From what I understand, you’ve been working your ass off lately, so…I thought this might be a good idea. This is somewhere you don’t have to worry about covering your tattoos in order to get in. And you were complaining when we were in New York how you don’t have a place for you to get a good massage in Japan, so…”

“Ritsu…” I knew exactly what this was now. And my heart turned into a puddle, “This is so sweet…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Ritsu kissed the top of my head, “And if anyone asks, I’m your security for the weekend. If my dad asks come Monday, I recommended this place to you.”

“Ok,” I knew better than to rat Ritsu out to Ryoichi. Daddy didn’t raise a snitch. When the two of us walked in together, the lady behind the counter immediately straightened up. It’s weird. Shiro did the same thing when Ryoichi came back to the club the night I met him.

“Mr. Kasanoda…” she gasped, shooting occasional glances at me, “Hello, sir.”

“Hello,” Ritsu was cordial, but she knew he wasn’t there to make friends, “We’re not early, are we?”

“No, sir,” she checked her computer, “I have you down for a couples session this morning.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” he stopped her, “A what?”

“You did say a couples session, sir,” she turned her screen around, showing Ritsu his receipt.

“Shit…” Ritsu grumbled to himself, “That’s fine. I guess. Are we going to be separated? I’m supposed to be her security while she’s here.”

“I’m sorry, sir,” she winced, “It’s policy.”

“That’s fine, too,” he dropped it, shooting a concerned look to me, “Right?”

“Yeah,” I let it go, “That’s fine.”

“Ok,” Ritsu pulled me a little closer, whispering in my ear, “If anything goes sideways, I promise I won’t be far. And remember…”

“Security,” I nodded, “I’ll be fine, Ritsu. Don’t worry about me.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” he shot a look up at the man taking me away from him. Honestly, he’s…kind of cute. Don’t get me wrong. I’d never dream of cheating on Ritsu, but this guy could give him a run for his money. He’d have to be better than Ritsu was last night and something tells me last night was the peak. 

“If something goes sideways,” I swore, “Her Majesty will gladly come out and take care of things.”

“Ok.” And just like that, Ritsu and I were separated. Wow. For this being booked as a couples thing, I’m surprised we’re not at least in the same room. We’ll chalk that up to things Rei’s American brain will never understand. 

For now, I had something wonderful waiting for me. A good looking man brought me somewhere to change and then, to a room that reminded me a lot of where I go when I’m back home. I missed Rosco. It wasn’t the same without him. Few people knew how my body worked like Rosco did. Hopefully, whoever I’ll have here is a quick learner. I’ve had little aches and pains all over the place for the last week from work and they’re absolute hell. 

“Excuse me,” a soft-spoken woman came into the room, “Are you Reina?”

“What…?” I looked at her strange. Shit…How quickly I forget who runs this place. Smart thinking, Ritsu. Very smart thinking. I quickly snapped back into my head, “Yeah. That’s me.”

“If you could drop the top of your robe please,” she requested. Once I laid down on the table and my face was in the cradle, I shut my eyes. And holy fuck. I love Rosco dearly. Really, I do. But holy love of Christ, this woman may be a tad better than him.

“Oh my god,” I swooned, “A little lower please.”

“Of course,” she moved lower, right about to the middle of my back. Oh, this was nice. This was very nice, “Your tattoos are very pretty.”

“Thank you,” I smiled a bit.

“You know,” she traced her fingers over them, “I think Young Master Ritsu’s tattoo isn’t much different. Except the colors.”

“Great minds, I guess,” I brushed her off. She was no Rosco and I fucking _loathed_ small talk. Although, I’ll gladly take the compliment.

“NO!”

Oh, shit…Not again. Come on, Ritsu. You couldn’t last a little longer? You couldn’t have pretended to enjoy yourself or put yourself in a happy place for my sake? I sat up on the table and pulled my robe back on, “I’m sorry. We’re going to have to cut this short.”

“You’re booked for the whole hour…” she checked her watch, “You’ve only been here twenty minutes.”

“I know,” I nodded, “But I have a feeling I have a mess to clean up.”

I wouldn’t say it was much of a mess, but it did have Ritsu backed up into a corner. My poor, spooked baby. And the poor girl that had to deal with this, “Mr. Kasanoda, please come down.”

“No,” Ritsu stayed put, “We’re done here.”

“What the hell happened here?” I wondered, still incredibly lost.

“The shit I do for you, Rei,” Ritsu still wasn’t moving, “I tried it. I really did. Still not a fan.”

“Let me guess,” I had seen something similar once before. We were in Spain and curled up in bed. And I made the mistake of being a little shit that morning, “Someone started getting uncomfortably close to his feet, didn’t they?”

“That’s what we’re hired for,” the woman pointed out, “That’s typically how a pedicure works. Yes.”

“Ok,” I started to understand, “Here’s the thing, honey. Ritsu’s extremely ticklish and more than anywhere else on his body, his feet are the most sensitive. That’s one of those things that’ll piss him off to no end, so getting near them is a good way to get kicked in the jaw. Trust me. Unless you want to come out of this with a few missing teeth, it’d be better to leave them alone.”

“No,” Ritsu got down from the corner he had successfully wedged himself into (Honestly, I’m impressed. I didn’t think he had that kind of dexterity in him.), “We’re done here.”

“Silver star, Ritsu,” I took his hand, “Silver star.”

Once we got redressed, Ritsu and I met back up outside. He still looked like the internal feelings of a cat coming out of the bathtub, but he’ll be alright. Jesus Christ, it was like New York all over again. At least this time, he didn’t leave collateral damage and I didn’t have to threaten a bitch for having her hands on my man. If anything, someone else had their hands on me. And in all honesty, the twenty minutes of massage was nice. He tried, though. That’s all I can ask.

“I don’t see how you do it, Rei,” Ritsu threw his arm around me, “I don’t get it. I don’t think I ever will. I still stand by what I said.”

“I know,” I laid my head in his shoulder, “I understand. I mean, that was what I did with Mama at least a couple times a month. And with Daddy for a while until he figured I could handle it on my own.”

“Really?” he looked at me strange, “Your dad went through that shit, too?”

“Believe it or not,” I nodded, “Apparently, he made the mistake of going with Mama once and got hooked on it for a while. I think the story goes that Mama was supposed to go with Veronica, but Veronica had to cancel and her appointment had already been paid for, so Daddy went with her instead.”

“Your dad is an enigma,” Ritsu sighed out, “Just when I think I kind of got him figured out…”

“Yeah,” I giggled, “Daddy’s good for shit like that. A trait he gladly passed down to his pain in the ass daughter.”

“That’s for damn sure,” he pulled me closer, “Let’s go get lunch, yeah?”

“Ok,” I wasn’t going to say no. I’m fucking starving. I haven’t eaten today, “But promise me you won’t freak like you did there.”

“No,” Ritsu shook his head, “Trust me. Lunch will be better. Lunch will be much better.”

“I don’t know,” I smiled a bit, “That massage was pretty great, Ritsu. It’ll be hard to top.”

“Just…Trust me.”

“Ok.”

I trusted Ritsu with my life anyway. It’s not like he’d ever do anything to put my life in danger. I do that myself. Dark humor aside, Ritsu and I took a cab to this really beautiful restaurant tucked away by the hot springs. Those are definitely getting hit up later. Ritsu may not be ok with what I do, but I know he’s cool with a hot spring. It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve done one of them together. But I didn’t care about that right now. My tummy had a bad case of the rumblies and I needed to eat something before I end up throwing up.

“Hey, Rei,” Ritsu sat me down across from him, “I hope it’s ok with you, but we’re supposed to be meeting someone here.”

“We are?” I went into instant panic mode, “Who?”

“Do you trust me?” he held my hands.

“Of course,” I assured him, “But I don’t get it.”

“What don’t you get?”

“Who the hell would we be meeting?” I wondered. But then, I felt a strange lightness in my heart, “Are we meeting your mom? Because I’m kind of hoping we’re meeting your mom. I haven’t seen Kiyomi since Monday.”

“Monday?” Ritsu thought for a moment or two, “You went to check on my mom while I was gone?”

“Yeah,” I brushed him off, “But more importantly, are we meeting Kiyomi?”

“I can’t say it’s Mom,” Ritsu glanced over my shoulder, a little smile gracing his face.

“REI-CHAN!”


	32. The Best Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, internet lovelies. How are we doing today? I hope you’re doing well. My tum just did a heckin rumble, so I’m sensing foodstuffs in my near future. Just thought I’d keep you in the loop. Also, because I keep forgetting to talk about it, I’m giving serious consideration to doing something new. For those of you who don’t know, I livestream every Friday night on Instagram. Yeah. That thing I was incredibly annoying about for a while? I still do that! I’ve been doing it for a while now and I’m kind of getting in the swing of things in our little crack house. But not everyone can make it to my Friday night streams, whether it’s for personal reasons or because they’re in a different time zone (because, yes. I have an international reputation). It’s an unfortunate thing, so I thought I’d maybe give Saturday streaming a try. It wouldn’t be like my regular 9PM USC streams. This would be a much more chill stream (but still a special brand of chaotic like my regular livestreams). Likely of me putting together a bullet journal layout for the week and hanging out with you. I’d be doing them around 12PM USC. If you’d be down for something like that, I think I’ll start doing that this Saturday. Hopefully, I will. If I can’t, then keep an eye on my Twitter feed. So, if you think to yourself, “Dammit, Lumi, I wish I could come to your livestreams, but I can’t for x reasons.”, fear not, my friend. Because if they do well, Saturday streams will become a thing. And those are going to be much earlier in the day. Now, I’m going to shut up and let you indulge yourself in this week’s chapter. Especially since I left you hanging last week. Love you x

I couldn’t help myself. It had felt like an eternity since I had seen two of my favorites and I couldn’t be happier. Normally, surprises kind of pissed me off, but I think I can let this one slide. I held my dear little Mitsukuni in my arms as tight as I could. With the shit that’s been going down lately, I needed this. Oh, fuck, was this needed. 

“Hi, Honey,” I melted inside, “I missed you so much!”

“We missed you, too, Rei-chan,” Honey curled into my shoulder, “But it’s only been a week.”

“When I used to see you on a daily basis,” I reminded him, “A week is a fucking eternity. And now, I understand why you guys had to fly under the radar.”

“Could you imagine if the rest of the host club knew these two were here?” Ritsu gave me a nudge, “This? This wouldn’t happen.”

“You’re right,” I let Honey go in order to throw myself in Mori’s chest. I miss my brothers. I really do, “I’ll take this, though. This is fine. What are you guys even doing here? Did you just happen to know the overnight trip was this weekend and figured it’d be a good time for you to go to Osaka?”

“Kasa-chan asked us here,” Honey told me, “And…Well…Here we are!”

“He said you could use the familiarity,” Mori always scared the shit out of me when he spoke in mixed company. I don’t understand why, but I wasn’t complaining.

“Hey, Ritsu?” I let Mori go.

“Yeah, Rei?” Ritsu sat back with a fucking shit eating grin on his face. He knew damn well what he did. And he knew he did good, “Something on your mind?”

“Have I told you lately that you’re my favorite?”

“Not lately,” he shrugged, “But I’m pretty sure that’s implied. Especially last night.”

“What does last night have to do with anything?” Honey wondered. Oh, Honey. So young. So innocent. Even though he’s technically older than us.

“Mitsukuni, no,” Mori preserved that innocence. He knew. He had to. 

Regardless, I couldn’t be happier. I didn’t have to deal with the host club today. I didn’t have to wake up with Luka in the room. I got to cuddle with my man a little longer this morning. Everything’s coming up me! Yay! I shook off the quick moment of internal squealing and pulled myself together, “So, what else do you have planned for today, Ritsu? Is this my last surprise or is there more waiting for me?”

“No,” Ritsu promised, “The rest of the day is merely goofy, contrived fate. I have nothing else planned.”

“In that case,” I wondered, “What should we do?”

“Lunch first.”

“That’s a given. I’m starving, too.”

“You should take better care of yourself, Rei,” Mori scolded me. Someone’s awfully chatty today, “One would think Kasanoda would know better, too.”

“Trying to,” I admitted, “But shit’s been hectic lately.”

“If that’s the case…” a little smirk graced Mori’s face, “You’re slipping, aren’t you?”

“Excuse me?” I took that as a personal insult. Not just on me, but on everything I stand for, “I’m not slipping. Trust me. I’m not slipping.”

“It’s been a while since we’ve been in near proximity, Reila,” Mori was digging himself a cozy grave today. But I knew what this was. He knew how I vented. These empty taunts were just to get me to come out to play, “I think we should go to the Shinto shrines.”

“Yay!” Honey squealed, his excitement taking over for Mori’s fire, “The Shinto shrines are so pretty!”

“Morinozuka-senpai,” Ritsu worried, “Are you asking what I think you’re asking?”

“Oh, I don’t think he’s asking,” I mirrored Mori, just as hyped as he was, “I think he’s demanding. Someone’s wanting to pick a fight.”

“No,” Ritsu stepped in, “No, no, no. That’s not what this trip’s for.”

“I think it’s exactly what I need, though,” my flame burned a little brighter. Until it turned into a beautiful, blazing wildfire that would never be snuffed out, “Ritsu, I love you and I love that you’re trying to make sure I’m in one piece here, but I could stand a good fight.”

“Your eye’s still bruised, Reila…”

Shit…I thought I had that covered up well enough to where questions wouldn’t be asked. Mori already knew about me getting into a minor scrap the day (or a couple. Who’s keeping track?) after it happened. Besides, it’s not like I couldn’t cover shit up if I had to, “I know, but what’s another bruise? Badges of honor. If you’re challenging me, Mori, I’d be more than happy to. It’s been a while since I’ve had a good fight. The last ones I fought in were dirty street fights with low blows and sucker punches. Just one fight. One fight to get the energy out.”

“That’s fine with me,” Mori agreed.

“But lunch first?”

“Lunch first.”

Honestly, I didn’t care about eating anymore. I loved that every time Mori and I were in each other’s proximity, we couldn’t help ourselves. I have yet to have a better opponent than Mori. He’s fun to fight. Other than Daddy, but that was a long time ago. Back when I found out what the family business was truly all about. But I digress. Once we were all fed, the four of us headed straight to the nearest Shinto shrine tucked away in a cozy section of forest. I liked it. The atmosphere was peaceful. The lush greenery put me in a good place. Hard to believe Mori and I were about to beat the ever living shit out of each other shortly.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Rei?” Ritsu still wanted to talk me out of it. Don’t get me wrong. I love him for wanting to protect me, but he needs to understand I had this. It’s not like I’ve never fought Mori before and I’m biting off more than I can chew. But I was already dressed. And so was Mori. We were both ready for bloodshed…But not actual bloodshed, of course. Mori wouldn’t be able to live with himself and I don’t like getting my hands dirty unless I have to.

“Yes, please,” I nodded vigorously, getting one last kiss before the slaughter, “I love you, but I’ll be fine. Just stay on the sidelines and coach me if you catch me slipping.”

“Always, baby,” he gave me a quick swat to the ass, “Get in there, tiger.”

“My pleasure.”

“Actually…” Honey chimed in, “Takashi…”

“What is it, Mitsukuni?” Mori went into instant panic, too.

“I don’t think you should fight Rei-chan,” Honey told him, “But…If it’s alright with you…Maybe…I could fight her instead.”

“No,” Mori put his foot down.

That one even caught me off guard, “Honey, no. I couldn’t fight you.”

“Why not?” Honey wondered.

“Because,” I felt my heart break, “That would mean bringing harm to you and I couldn’t do that. Besides, if I were to even hurt you in the slightest, that would mean having Mori on my ass for the rest of my life and I really couldn’t do that.”

“But Haninozuka-senpai can fight,” Ritsu pointed out.

“Yes, he can,” Mori confirmed.

“I can’t be held responsible for what happened with those Navy SEALs,” Honey turned shy and quiet, “But I did say I was sorry!”

“I’m sure you did, Honey,” I pulled him to my hip, “But I still don’t think I should fight you.”

“Please?” he begged, batting his eyelashes at me. Oh, come on. That’s dirty. Honey’s cuteness is a weapon in itself. How the hell am I supposed to say no to that?

“I’d pay money to see you fight him, Rei,” Ritsu admitted, chuckling under his breath, “That’d be a beautiful, messy street fight.”

“Seriously?” I giggled, “You’d pay to see Honey and me fight? I love you, Ritsu, but that’s kind of fucked up, Ritsu.”

“Hello, Kasanoda,” Kyoya showed up out of absolute fucking nowhere. Did he just appear when none of us were paying attention? How did he even know where we were? I’m starting to think he’s got us all chipped somehow. Or he’s tracking my phone. I really would love to find out how Kyoya knows everything. I’m genuinely curious.

“Ootori?” Ritsu was just as lost as I was.

“Kyo-chan!” Honey sang out, “What are you doing here? I thought no one knew we were coming.”

“You really should know better, Honey-senpai,” Kyoya reminded him, “I have my sources. And I heard there was a lucrative business opportunity in the works here, so here I am. Now, what seems to be going on here?”

Yeah. A lucrative business opportunity that Ritsu mentioned off the cuff. I swear, Kyoya Ootori operates on an entirely different level than the rest of us. Fortunately, Ritsu was a sweetheart and spoke on my behalf, “Rei and Haninozuka-senpai are about to fight.”

“Why?” Kyoya wondered, “What happened?”

“Casual sparring,” I shrugged, “Nothing happened. We’re still good.”

“And after our fight,” Honey hoped, “We’re still friends, right, Rei-chan?”

“Of course we are, Honey,” I threw my arms around him, “No matter the outcome. If you win, if I win, we’re still walking out of here friends. I like having you around and I’d hate to not have you in my life.”

“Yay!” he latched himself around my waist, “Because I love you, too. And I’d be so sad if I didn’t have you anymore.”

“Ditto,” I kissed the top of his head.

“Mori-senpai?” Kyoya looked over to him, confused and concerned, “Are you alright with this? I know how protective you are of Honey-senpai.”

“Yeah,” Mori nodded, still worried. I wouldn’t rough Honey up too much. I wouldn’t hold back. Hell no. My pride is on the line. But I’m also not going to completely destroy him. I knew better than that. 

“Hold on,” Kyoya pulled his phone out of his pocket with dollar signs in his eyes, “I need to go make a few phone calls.”

“Ok,” I wasn’t going to tell him no. This may make the fight a little more interesting. And Kyoya’s nothing if not the world’s greatest one man advertising team.

“What is he doing exactly?” Ritsu asked.

“He’s playing Don King,” I took a seat on the floor.

“Who’s Don King?” Honey plopped down in my lap. Not that I was complaining. I couldn’t.

“He’s a fight promoter with sweet hair back home,” I explained, “He was anyway. I don’t know if he’s still a fight promoter. He’s got to be older than hell these days. But the guy kind of looked like a Troll doll. I loved him.”

“Alright then,” Kyoya came back with a smile on his face. That could only mean two things. Either he’s about to choke Tamaki out or he’s about to come into a shit ton of money. My guess is on the latter, “Fight is on.”

“Fantast…” The second I turned around, a very excitable puppy was horrendously over the line and in my bubble, “Hi, Tamaki…”

“Hello, Reila…” Tamaki didn’t quite have the same smile on his face Kyoya did. But he was still about an inch too close to me. 

“What are you doing here…?” I asked. As if I didn’t already know.

“Kyoya called,” he explained, “And he said you were suicidal.”

“No,” I settled him, “No, no, no. I’m pretty good in my head. I’m alright. Why the fuck would he say something like that?”

“He said you were about to fight Honey-senpai.”

“Yeah.”

“So,” Tamaki assumed, “You’re suicidal?”

“I’m not suicidal, Tamaki,” I promised, “I’m good.”

“BUT YOU’RE ABOUT TO FIGHT HONEY-SENPAI!” Tamaki squeaked, holding me tight against his chest, “THAT’S PRACTICALLY SIGNING YOUR OWN DEATH WARRANT!”

“I’m not suicidal,” I swore, “I’m not signing any death warrant. It’s just some casual sparring with Honey and me. Nothing more. Nothing less. I used to do this with Mori all the time last year and you didn’t seem to have a problem with it then.”

“That’s because you proved you could take him out if need be,” he argued, “As your father, I strictly forbid this.”

I pulled Ritsu to my side, “Clearly someone who doesn’t know my father.”

“Very true,” Ritsu agreed, “I could see your dad cheering you on here.”

“He’d probably think Honey was too easy a target.”

“That sounds like him.”

“And you’re condoning this, Kasanoda?” Tamaki gasped, “What happened to chivalry?”

“Chivalry is making sure she’s safe and well taken care of,” Ritsu explained, “Common sense is knowing when to stay the fuck out of Reila’s way, unless you want to be caught in the crossfire.”

“Thanks, baby,” I kissed his cheek, “I knew I could count on you.”

“Always.”

“And Tamaki,” I held my face in my hands, “I don’t know how many times I’ve told you. You’re. Not. My. Dad. You and my dad are two _totally_ different creatures. My dad could kill a man with his bare hands with no problem. You cry like a fucking baby when a bird hits a window.”

“That’s understandable,” Ritsu chimed in, “That’s some sad shit.”

“It is,” I agreed, “Alright then. You cry when a bug hits the windshield.”

“They had their whole life ahead of them, Rei!” Tamaki awed, “You can’t tell me they don’t have their own hopes and dreams, too.”

“They’re bugs, Tamaki.” Oh, yeah. He couldn’t be Daddy if he wanted to. They couldn’t even be on the same level. 

“Reila,” Kyoya stepped in, “Speaking of things dying, do you have an estate lawyer you’d like to contact about your last will and testament?”

“Yeah, I do,” I nodded, “I can think of an estate lawyer I’d love to talk to.”

“I need a name,” Kyoya pulled out the black book. Someone’s getting serious.

“Vanessa Mendoza,” I didn’t even hesitate. He asked if I had an estate lawyer. Little does he know, I had the best fucking estate lawyer in the state of New York. I’d say in the world, but considering that without her, there’d be no me, I think I might be a little biased, “But we might need a Ouija board in order to talk to her.”

“Your mom was an estate lawyer?” Tamaki perked up.

“Yep,” I nodded, “And a damn good one at that. I’d trust no one else handling my postmortem affairs more than her. Wait a second…Kyoya…?”

“Yes, Reila?” Kyoya didn’t break eye contact with his phone.

“When did this become an event?!”

“Rei,” Mori pulled me aside, “Please…Go easy on him.”

“I’m not throwing the match,” I assured him, “But I’m not going to completely destroy him. Don’t worry, Mori. He’ll be fine.”

“Thank you,” he gave me a little smile. You really do worry about him, don’t you, Mori? I can’t blame you. I’d want to keep him safe, too. 

“Alright,” Ritsu took my hand, “You ready, champ?”

“I…guess?” I still don’t know when the hell this turned into an event, but I’ll take it. Besides, it’s just some friendly sparring. Nothing more, nothing less. I think. I hope.


	33. One Night Only

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, my internet lovelies. I hope you’re doing well. Because…God knows I’m not. I’m hanging onto a really shit cold (and yes. It’s just a cold.) that’s kicking my ass. I’ll be alright, though. Medicine’s making me a little loopy and the bandage on my pinky is magnetically attracted to the capslock, but I’ll manage. But speaking of ass kickings! Are we ready to see what kind of shenanigans our beloveds are getting into this week? Yeah?
> 
> And for those of you curious, this is my Christmas present to you. If you’re like me, though, and you’re having a hard time getting into the spirit of things, I feel you. I see you. And I love you. It’s alright. Next year, we’ll do the holidays at my house and go all fucking out like the real roaring 20s this was supposed to be. K? Let’s go.

When I woke up this morning, I had all intentions of today being a nice, quiet day with my boyfriend. The two of us on an aimless wander of Osaka, enjoying everything it had to offer with reckless abandon. And everything was going to be great. Don’t get me wrong. I’m fucking ecstatic that Honey and Mori are here. I couldn’t have asked for a better surprise. But in that list, I never said fighting Mori. And I sure as fuck never said fighting Honey. I didn’t think I’d ever fight Honey a day in my life. Yet, here we were, standing in opposite corners of our arena with Hikaru and Kaoru barking outside.

“Step right up, ladies!” Fuck, I hate when the host club works on location, “Step right up and see the prize fight between Mitsukuni Haninozuka and Reila Mendoza! Come see Rei one last time before we have to close the casket!” 

Hold on…I don’t remember anyone saying anything about a prize on the line. I thought this was just for something fun to do to kill our afternoon. I didn’t think we were actually fighting for a prize. But it got me thinking…What the hell would that prize be? Is it monetary? Is it just bragging rights? And Honey wouldn’t kill me. I’ve heard he can fight, but that doesn’t mean he’s going to kill me. I’m going to come out of this fight alive whether they want me to or not.

“Alright, you two,” Tamaki stood in the middle of the ring, about to call it, “We’ll go three rounds. I want a good, clean fight. Honey-senpai, remember that we still need Rei for hosting purposes.”

“Ok!” Honey chimed, just as Tamaki made his exit, “Hey, Rei-chan?”

“Yeah, Honey?” I could see it all over his face. This fight made him nervous.

“You _promise me_ we’ll still be friends after this fight?” he hoped.

I stuck both my pinkies out to him. And with enthusiasm, Honey linked his pinkies with mine, “Of course, Honey. Come here…”

I threw my arms around him, hugging him as tight as I could. Even though this fight made us both a little sweaty (and that’s before any real fighting happened), that promise was solid. Honey curled into my shoulder, “I love you, Rei-chan.”

“I love you, too, Honey,” I kissed the top of his head and sent him off.

The two of us made it back to our respective corners and I sat down, already a little worn out. Fortunately, I had a damn good coach in my corner. Ritsu laced his fingers between mine, “Are you sure you want to do this, Rei?”

“I’m sure,” I nodded. I’d be lying if I said the curiosity wasn’t there. It’s hard to imagine someone so sweet like Honey going all out. 

“Haninozuka-senpai is highly trained,” Ritsu warned me, “Are you _positive?”_

“I’m highly trained, too,” I smiled. All those nights where Daddy and I would be in one of the abandoned warehouses strewn throughout our territories (and the parking structure under our building back home) were about to show themselves. Daddy made sure I wasn’t going into this world defenseless. When I learned what the real family business was, rigorous training was the first step. And when I could prove that I could beat the shit out of guys twice my size without batting an eye, he knew I’d be ok. Honey’s just a little guy. I should be able to throw him over my shoulder with no problem, “I’ll be fine, Ritsu. Promise.”

“And if you don’t?”

“That’s not an option,” I assured him, “Besides, I don’t want to know what your dad would say if I came into work all fucked up.”

“He’d be pissed,” Ritsu admitted, “But since you’re his new favorite, he’d be more likely to go after Haninozuka-senpai.”

“And I’m not letting that happen,” I put my hand to his cheek, “Don’t worry, Ritsu. I’ll be fine. This is just for the pure, fun sport of it. No one’s going to get hurt…Too much.”

“Reila…”

“I’ll be fine,” I gave Ritsu one last kiss, “No worries. K?”

“Ok,” Ritsu backed off. Because he knew better. He knew what I was capable of. If properly provoked, I can kill a man. But I’d never do that to Honey. Because then, I’d have to deal with Mori. No, thank you.

“SENPAI, NO!”

Before the fight even started, Ritsu, Honey, Mori, and me all followed the sudden squeaks of Haruhi trying to fight off Tamaki. The four of us took off toward Haruhi’s screams without hesitation. Both Honey and I were already geared up for a fight. If we had to kick Tamaki’s ass for him doing something incredibly stupid, then so be it. We could easily have it handled. But when we turned the corner, Haruhi hid herself as much as she could from him.

“Hey, Tamaki…” I stepped in, wondering what the hell was going on, “What are you doing?”

“It’s nothing,” Tamaki brushed me off.

“Nothing?” Haruhi’s voice dripped with acidity, “NOTHING?!”

“Alright,” I stopped her, “Haruhi, in your inside voice, care to explain what happened?”

“What do you think, Rei?” Tamaki chimed in, “This is a fight. Haruhi should be the ring girl!”

“Like hell, she should!” Haruhi snapped, “I am not being the ring girl for this fight.”

“Sorry, Tamaki,” I gladly took Haruhi’s side, “Looks like you’re going to have to find someone else.”

“Well…” Tamaki bit his lip, “I’d love to, but our alternative for things Haruhi won’t do is usually to ask you. And since you’re in the fight, you can’t do this, too.”

“I am the main event here,” I agreed, “Why don’t you make the twins do it?”

“We’re not sideline material,” Hikaru and Kaoru popped up out of nowhere. Those little shits have a bad habit of doing that. 

“In that case,” Tamaki took a quick look around, “Uh…”

It wasn’t until his eyes fell on someone else spending this fight on the sidelines that I started to sweat. Especially since the thought of him in sequins made me break out in hives. When Tamaki’s face lit up, the twins started to catch his energy. Fire and oil, those three…Fire and oil. Hikaru grabbed one arm while Kaoru grabbed the other, “KASA-”

“NO.” Ritsu and I both put a foot down while Ritsu shook them off.

“Besides,” I wrapped myself around Ritsu, claiming what was mine, “I need a coach. That’s what I got him for. Sorry, baby, but you’re no ring girl.”

“Last time I checked,” Ritsu agreed, holding my hands against his chest.

“Excuse me,” Kyoya stepped in with a much better idea. One that sat better with all of us, “Luka?”

“Hmm?” I didn’t even know Luka was here, “Did you call for me?”

“Would you care to help the host club in a little event we’re putting together?” Kyoya offered.

“Sure!” Luka chimed, “What do you need me to do?”

“Since Rei and Honey-senpai’s fight is going to be three rounds,” Kyoya explained, “We need a beautiful young lady to announce each round. Typically with a large card with a number on it. Do you think you could do that for us?”

“Yeah,” she smiled, “It sounds like fun!”

“Hikaru, Kaoru,” Kyoya had total control. I knew it. Ritsu knew it. The twins knew it. Haruhi knew it. The only one who didn’t was Tamaki, bless his poor, idiot soul, “Go help Luka get ready. And remember. She’s still a guest of the host club, so treat her with respect.”

“Of course we will,” Hikaru took her left hand.

“We wouldn’t have it any other way,” Kaoru took her right. 

And both of them kissed her knuckles, “Is that alright with you, princess?”

“Yes…” Luka was completely trapped in their charm while Haruhi and I were snickering in the corner. I still couldn’t believe people fell for that bullshit. And she has no idea what kind of true death warrant was signed. Oh, Luka…So blissfully ignorant of the deal with the devil you just made. Because he just sent you off with his two most ruthless henchmen. It’s like Daddy always told me. The frog in cold water has no idea it’s being boiled alive until it’s too late. And that poor frog was taken away by the two biggest snakes in the grass I’ve ever met in my life.

“Hey, Rei…” Haruhi kept her voice down, “Thank you for that.”

“Of course, Haruhi,” I threw an arm around my best friend, “I know how you hate nothing more than being blindsided by those guys. I got you.”

“Bless you.”

“Anytime,” I let her go and slid back in the arms of my own, “Well…Shall we?”

“And you’re sure we’ll still be friends, Rei-chan?” Honey worried.

“Honey, Honey, Honey,” I melted inside, “You could’ve just beheaded my puppy and showed me the body and I couldn’t hate you. I don’t care if you spank me in front of everyone here like I did the first day I met Mori. He didn’t hold it against me and I wouldn’t hold it against you. As long as I get the same courtesy.”

“Think of it this way, Rei,” Ritsu pointed out, “If you beat Haninozuka-senpai, think of the kind of fear that would strike into the hearts of the host club.”

“Even Takashi has a hard time beating me,” Honey admitted.

“Sometimes,” Mori clarified, “Sometimes, I have a hard time beating you.”

“It’s ok, Mori,” I awed, “We all have our off days. And that means Honey’s got his off days where he lets you beat hi

“Thanks, Rei-chan!” Honey wiggled his way into my lap.

“I’m sorry, Honey-senpai,” Kyoya stepped in, “But you two can’t be seen too chummy before the match. It takes away the mystique of the fight.”

“Since when did you become an expert on how to run a fight, Kyoya?” I wondered.

“About twenty minutes ago,” he admitted, showing me his phone screen…and a Wikipedia page. Color me impressed, “Why?”

“No reason.” Out of everyone in the host club I want to snap up and take back with me to New York, I always thought it’d be Mori for the sake of extra muscle. Kyoya, though…Kyoya might be a little bit of a dark horse. I hate to admit it, but once we all go our separate ways, I may need to get his number. Having someone like him in my back pocket might come in handy.

“Well?” Luka came around the corner in a sparkly outfit (only covering about half of her. Damn…Hikaru and Kaoru did their research, too. What is with these boys impressing me today?), “What do you think?”

“Reila?” Kyoya nudged me, “I don’t have much experience frequenting back alley fights. Would you say she’s appropriate?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, looking her over, “I mean, you’re missing the thigh-high boots, but other than that, you definitely look like a ring girl, Luka.”

“Thank you,” Luka hid a little smile along with a half-hearted giggle.

“Wait a minute!” I squeaked, “What makes you think I frequent back alley fights, Kyoya?”

“Do you not go to any underground fights when you’re back home?” Kyoya wondered, “That seems like something you’d be involved with.”

“Well…” He wasn’t wrong. Dammit, I hated that he wasn’t wrong. I’ve definitely seen a few back alley fights. Some in underground parking structures. Sometimes, I’ve been involved in those underground parking structure fights…Don’t get me wrong. I usually tell Daddy everything, but sometimes, he’s better off if he’s kept out of that loop. 

“As I suspected.” A part of me wanted to drive my fist into Kyoya’s smug fucking face, but I also knew better. It’s not like I’m going to beat the shit out of Honey, but I’ll save that fire for the fight, “Are we ready now?”

“I think so,” I looked over at Honey, “You ready?”

“Let’s go fight!” Honey sure did a one-eighty. Not five minutes ago, he was worried about our friendship falling apart because of this fight. Someone stuck a quarter in you. That’s good, though. It’s good to see a fire in him.

And once that bell rang…Our friendship went out the window. Daddy always told me to never ever throw the first punch in a fight. Because whoever made the mistake of throwing said punch will regret throwing it in the first place. Or some other sort of folksy wisdom that he’s passed onto me. I’ll give him this, Honey sure can throw a punch. I almost didn’t block it. Fortunately, I caught his fist before it could go any further and flipped him onto his back. Because I didn’t actually want to hurt him, I made sure to cradle Honey on his way down. I’m not fucking heartless.

Although, I’m starting to think my kindness may be my downfall. Honey grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me down with him…Harder…Much harder than I expected. For someone of his size, Honey is strong as fuck. I know I said Kyoya was the host club’s dark horse as far as someone I’d want to take home with me, but…There may be an even bigger dark horse here. And in that moment, the strangest realization struck. Honey and I are one in the same.

I know it sounds strange, but to sit down and think about it, and I mean _really think_ about it, we are. In fact, I think we may use the same tactics when we’re in a fight, too. We both have that cute, innocent, unassuming face and we both know how to use it to get whatever the fuck we want. Although, I knew for a fact Honey’s cuteness didn’t always work on Mori. I’ve seen that with my own two eyes. Kind of like how my cuteness hardly works on Daddy anymore (yet, I know a certain someone who’s cut from the same cloth as Daddy that falls for this shit hook, line, and sinker on a regular basis.). They’re used to it. 

SLAM!

Honey had me back down on the mat, holding me down. I could hear someone counting off to the side. I wasn’t sure who, but I could hear numbers. My lungs wanted to give out on me. My legs were starting to hurt, but don’t ever let them say I’ll go down without a fight. It’s a good thing Honey’s so little. I scooped him up in my arms and threw him down, getting a good couple swings in. If he wanted this to be a down and dirty street fight, all he had to do was ask. I could throw down with some of the best. Even though I didn’t anticipate this being a bareknuckle fight (Let’s be honest, I didn’t anticipate this being a fight against Honey either.), this was fun! The two of us were neck and neck. One more blow on either side and someone was going to come out of this a winner.

However, seeing Honey pinned down on the mat made a certain someone have to step in and call it, “Draw.”

“What?” I panted over Honey, who was just as worn out as I was.

“We’re done,” Mori demanded. Far be it for me to say no to him. Definitely when it comes to Honey and his wellbeing.

“Ok…” Honey laid next to me on the mat, his head on my side, “Hey, Rei-chan…?”

“Yeah, Honey?” I could hardly move. Not because of the amount of pain I was in, but because I just…I didn’t have that in me. Fuck that…

“I’m tired…”

“Me, too,” I wrapped my arms around him, “You ready to call it a day?”

“Yes, please,” Honey shut his eyes for a second, “For what it’s worth, though, you lasted longer than I thought you would.”

“So,” I wondered, “For the sake of record keeping, who won, me or you?”

“I’ll let you have that one,” Honey allowed, “You’re still alive. You won.”

“You couldn’t kill me,” I kissed his forehead, “You wouldn’t be able to live with yourself. It’s the same thing when I fight Ritsu and he goes a little too hard.”

“I’m just glad we still have each other…”

“Absolutely,” I melted inside, “Tell you what…What do you say about a trip to the hot springs?”

“Yes, please…” Honey was just as beat as I was. Besides, the thought of hot water did things to my soul. Imagine actually being in it, “Just you and me?”

“Well,” I clarified, “I was thinking a few more.”

“So…” Tamaki popped up. Because of course he did, “Does that mean all of us are taking a trip to the hot springs tonight?”

“No,” I shut that shit down before it could turn into something it didn’t need to be, “It’s going to be Honey, Mori, Ritsu, and me. I swear to God, if I see any of you in a single mile radius, I will end you. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Ritsu was right. If I live through a fight with Honey, then that gives me more metal cred. And they’ll fear me more. Neat.

“Hey, Ritsu?” I groaned, still in pain and still incredibly exhausted.

“Yeah, baby?” Ritsu was quickly at my side, “What is it?”

My arms stretched out to him, “Will you carry me?”

“With pleasure,” Ritsu scooped me up in his arms and I curled into his shoulder, “You ok?”

“Eventually…” I watched as Honey ended up on Mori’s shoulders, “Hey, Honey?”

“Yeah, Rei-chan?” Honey looked awfully comfortable, his head on Mori’s, looking like he was ready to pass right the fuck out.

“It was an honor fighting you…”

“You, too…”

I needed that hot spring. And I needed it now. 


	34. Last Minute to Karuizawa

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends…  
> Well…We did it. Give yourselves a hand. It’s the end of the year we will never speak of again. We made it on the other side, dammit. Against the odds, we made it to the end. And once that clock turns midnight, it’s all over. At least I hope it is. And if you’d like, amongst all the other New Year’s streams that are going to bombard you tonight, you’re more than welcome to come hang out at mine on Instagram. I’ll be starting around 9PM my time. Between 9 and 9:30. I’m still a little sick, so please cut me some slack. But let’s look back on all the wonderful things that happened this year…Short list. Holy shit. But on the other hand, in 2021, it’s happening. This coming Monday, I’ll be posting chapter one of the Good Old Days, which is the story of baby Frankie before he got mixed in with mafia and when he managed to score Vanessa. And eventually make Rei. That’ll be on Tumblr the same time as my new Castlevania sequel, too. For those of you who don’t know, my Tumblr handle is LumiOlivierLithium. Hopefully, I’ll see you Monday, K? For now, let’s get into this week’s chapter, yeah? Ok. Love you. x

Thank God for the hot springs. My aching body needed these hot springs so much. Although, I was impressed the guy at the counter let the four of us share a pool. I’m not complaining. After my long, tiring day, this was all I wanted. Two of my best friends and my boyfriend to lay on. I fought sleep tooth and nail. A nap sounded so fucking nice, but if I sleep now, I won’t sleep tonight. And I sure as hell don’t want to deal with Luka all night. Fuck that.

“You know, Honey,” I sighed out, my head on Ritsu’s chest, “It was truly an honor fighting you.”

“You did great, too, Rei-chan,” Honey swam over to me, snuggling into my side, “It’s been a while since I got to go all out like that.”

“Me, too,” I agreed, “Sensei gets pissed when I go too hard in class.”

“You’re not wrong,” Ritsu cuddled me.

“You pop a wicked boner whenever we fight,” I pointed out.

“Thank you, Reila…” Ritsu turned bright ass red. What a cutie, “That was information you didn’t need to share.”

“So,” Honey changed the subject, “Where should we go after this?”

“We need to be back by ten o’clock,” I grumbled.

“Boo…”

“You’re telling me,” I pouted, “But when we’re back in town, I have no doubt we’ll find each other again.”

“I hope so,” Honey let out a little yawn, “I miss hanging out with you, Rei-chan. Do you promise we’ll be able to spend more time together when we get back?”

“I’ll try my best.” With my busy schedule, I’m not sure how well I’ll be able to keep that promise.

“When will you be back in town, Rei?” Mori wondered.

“Monday night.”

“Monday night?” Honey looked up at me, a hint lost, “Aren’t you supposed to be going home tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Ritsu nodded, “But as soon as we get back to Tokyo, Rei and I are taking off again to Karuizawa for what we couldn’t have this weekend.”

“Oh,” Honey shut his eyes for a second with my arms firmly affixed around him, so he didn’t drown, “So, Monday night…”

“I can’t hang out Monday night,” I shot him down, “I’m sorry.”

“Why not?” Mori looked at me strange. He knew I didn’t get out much. Mostly because I was still in foreign territory. Granted, Ritsu’s helped a lot with that and he knows places that not everyone knows, but I’m still not completely in tune with the city yet.

“Because I’ll be working all week.” Shit…That wasn’t supposed to come out.

“What do you mean?” Honey asked, “Like the host club?”

No, my dear, sweet, Honey. I mean, like a real club. Only difference is one of them is run by local yakuza, “No. I got a job. Like, a real job. I’ll be working all week, so we’ll have to shoot for next weekend, ok?”

“Ok!” Bless you, Honey. You and your one track mind. 

As much as I wanted to go back to the hotel, I needed to get to sleep. I’m sure Ritsu wasn’t in much better shape. Although, Ritsu didn’t have to go toe to toe with Honey today. Still, I’m fucking exhausted. And I know I’m not going to be in much better shape when I get back to town after Karuizawa. Ryoichi’s going to hand my ass to me, but I think with a quick batting of my eyelashes, he’ll be fine again. At least I hope so. I don’t want to deal with him being bitchy. 

Ritsu and I got back to the hotel and he brought me to my door. Sure enough, one of the student advisors stood in the hallway, no doubt watching us carefully as curfew neared. Fucking voyeur. I wrapped myself in Ritsu’s hoody, my face buried in his chest, “Don’t make me go.”

“I don’t want to you go either,” Ritsu kept watch, a gentle kiss finding its way to my forehead, “But nature of the beast, baby.”

“I can’t wait for us to get back,” I made sure to speak loud enough to where the student advisor could hear me, “And you are staying at my house with no real adult supervision, right, Ritsu?”

“I’ll just take you out of town,” he played along. I could feel her self-righteous glare in the back of my head, “On our own time where no one can stop us. For your father is in a different country on a different continent and mine is nowhere near attentive.”

I cuddled into him, never wanting to let him go, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Ritsu snuck in a quick kiss, “See you in the morning.”

“I’ll be here.” Without a second thought, I punched my card key and crawled in bed. Wow. What a shock. The little hellion is already tucked in bed, retainer in her mouth and stuffed elephant in her arm. I’m sure the twins took it out of her. That’s their usual. You made a good ring girl, Luka. I’m proud of you. You earned the rest. And you weren’t the one kicking ass today.

Goddammit. Luka and I really needed to have the conversation about personal space. However, I didn’t think we’d have to have that conversation shortly after waking up. She stood at the edge of my bed, “Good morning, Rei!”

“Morning, Luka…” I backed off a little, “Any particular reason you’re perched at my bedside here?”

“I brought you a present!” she handed me a white cup that I guarantee contained the elixir of the gods.

“Thanks…” I took a little drink from it, surprisingly delighted, “It’s…Perfect. Luka, how did you know how I liked my coffee?”

“Well…” she rocked back on her heels, “I can’t totally take credit for it.”

“Buenos dias, kariña…” There’s what I was looking for. That’s much better that Luka perched over my bed like a fucking gargoyle. And then, my back felt all nice and warm, “Good morning, Mars.”

“Good morning,” I put my cup down on the nightstand and curled into Ritsu. I’d be lying if I said hearing Ritsu speak one of my native tongues didn’t warm my heart to no end. I won’t confirm nor deny whether or not I’m a puddle right now, “Luka…”

“Yes…?” Luka beamed. Oh, she had something up her sleeve. I don’t like that look.

“Did you let Ritsu in this morning?” I wondered.

“I broke in,” Ritsu kissed my cheek.

“Did you really?” I think I love him a little more now.

“Nah,” he teased, “I knocked on the door. Luka let me in. You sleep late, Rei.”

“I figured this would be a good way for you to wake up,” Luka came clean, “Besides, I don’t think I should ever be the one to wake you.”

“Good call.” Knowing me, I would’ve beat the shit out of her for trying to wake my cranky ass up. Ritsu on the other hand? I know when it’s him. This…This was wonderful, “And you’re not going to tell anyone about this?”

“Nope,” she promised, “Not a word. As far as I know, Kasanoda was never here.”

“Thank you.” All weekend, this was all I needed. But no. Because of red tape bullshit, I couldn’t have it…Well…Not as long as I wanted, but I digress. This was nice.

“You’re welcome.” Maybe Luka wasn’t as big of a pain in the ass as I thought she was. 

“Hey, Kasanoda,” Luka sat back down on her bed, “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, Luka,” Ritsu allowed, “You get one question. What’s up?”

“Why did you say good morning to Mars?” she wondered, “Who’s Mars?”

I peeled off my shirt and showed off who Mars is, “Mars is the Roman god of war. He’s also what we named my tattoo.”

“You have a tattoo?” Luka freaked, “How do you have a tattoo?”

“I don’t have _a_ tattoo,” I clarified, pulling my shirt back down and showing off my hand, “I got two of them. I know a guy back home that was more than happy to do a tattoo for me. He did Mars, but someone more local did the one on my hand. The same guy that did my Q tattoo did Ritsu’s back tattoo, too.”

“Wow,” she gasped in amazement, “It’s weird. I feel like we’re best friends, but we know almost nothing about each other.”

I wasn’t sure where she got the idea we were best friends, but I didn’t have the energy to correct her, “Alright then. Did you have anything planned for this morning, Luka?”

“Nope,” Luka shook her head, “Nothing. Why?”

“I’m sure you could go find the host club,” I suggested, “They’ll find something for you to do.”

“We need to be on the bus by noon, though,” she pointed out, “What could they…”

“Luka…” I can’t believe I had to fucking spoon feed this to her, “Maybe you could find something to do for the next couple hours? Please?”

“Oh!” There it is. It finally clicked, “Ok…Yeah. Sure. I’ll see you on the bus.”

“Sure will, Luka,” I shooed her out. Thank God. Once that door clicked, I fell into Ritsu’s arms, “Fucking…Finally.”

“A whole weekend,” Ritsu held me tight, “A whole damn weekend and we hardly saw each other.”

“It sure as hell feels like it,” I agreed, “I can’t wait for us to get back.”

“Me either,” he ran his fingers down my spine, “Where do you want to go when we get back?”

“Seriously?” I giggled a little, “You want us to take off right away from being on a long ass trip?”  
  


“Um…Yeah?” Ritsu looked at me strange, “Did you have other plans? Are you wanting to stick around home for a while?”

“Fuck no,” I squeaked, “It’s going to be you and me uninterrupted until I have to go to work. You really think I’ll want to stay home tonight?”

“I do know you pretty well,” he kissed the top of my head, “Hey, Rei?”

“Yes, Ritsu?”

“You want to squeak out a quickie on Luka’s bed?”

“I fucking love you.” He does know me. He does know me so well.

And after we made the beast with two backs on Luka’s bed (which, if we’re being honest, highlight of the fucking trip), Ritsu and I got on the bus. I had no doubt in my mind we both had massive post sex glow, but neither one of us gave a shit. I let Ritsu slide in the window seat and I slid in next to him with my head on his shoulder. Life was good. However, because we weren’t exactly hiding anything, of course we couldn’t be left alone about it. And to make matters worse, Hikaru and Kaoru were like drug dogs for that kind of thing.

“Hey, Rei…” Hikaru popped over the seat.

“You seem to be in a good mood,” Kaoru followed suit, “What’s the occasion?”

“Do you really want to know?” I smirked, my eyes barely open.

“Yes,” the twins hummed, “Please, Reila. Do tell.”

I looked up at Ritsu, “Should we tell them?”

“That’s up to you, Rei,” Ritsu allowed, “But if you want to tell them, who am I to stop you?”

“I don’t know,” I strung them along a little more, “Maybe we should keep that to ourselves.”

“Come on, Rei!” they begged, “Tell us!”

“Maybe it’s not your business,” Haruhi settled them, “Maybe that’s between them and you guys don’t need to be involved.”

“Oh, Haruhi,” Hikaru awed, “Have you just met us?”

“Everyone else’s business _is_ our business,” Kaoru reminded her.

“They’re not wrong,” I agreed.

“THEN, TELL US, REI!” they both whined. Aren’t they adorable?

“Fine,” I rolled my eyes, “Ritsu and I had sex before we got on the bus…Like…Minutes before we got on the bus. No, we’re not going to share details. No, you can’t watch us ever. And no, you sure as fuck aren’t going to join us. I’m too territorial over Ritsu and neither one of you are touching me without Ritsu turning into a junkyard dog.”

“And you think I know you well,” Ritsu snuggled me, “I think you know me better than I know me some days.”

“I do what I can,” I shut my eyes, content with life.

“Are you napping on the way home, baby?” Ritsu kept his voice down.

“No,” I sat up a little better, “I mean, you did kick my ass earlier, but we’ll be alright. You know me. I don’t fall asleep after.”

“I know you don’t.”

I can’t wait for us to hole up in Karuizawa for a while. And then, we’ll be able to revisit that without us being held by restrictions set by Ouran Acadamy’s uppity staff. In my readjustment, I caught of a glimpse of the inside of Kaoru’s bag. And a familiar water bottle from the other night, “Hey, Kaoru?”

“Yeah?” Kaoru perked up, “What is it?”

“How was that Hibiki I gave you two the other night to keep your mouths shut?”

“Um…” Both Hikaru and Kaoru looked away.

“I knew it,” I giggled under my breath, “You didn’t even drink it, did you?”

“No…”

“You two are precious,” I awed, “You know that? It’s really good. I can’t recommend it enough.”

“It tastes better when it’s stolen,” Ritsu figured.

“Absolutely,” I confirmed. Few things were hotter than Ritsu stealing booze from Roy’s engagement party. Obviously, it was enough to get me going. We ended up fucking in the coat closet, “You can always get your hands on more of that, right, baby?”

“I don’t see why not,” he thought, “You know, my family runs a nightclub in Shinjuku. I could probably score you another bottle there, too.”

“Thank you,” I knew you could, Ritsu, but if I really wanted to, I’d steal it myself. The most your dad would do is give me a little slap on the wrist, “But when you two do decide to grow the balls to drink that Hibiki, be careful. That shit’s pretty strong.”

“And it’s so good,” Ritsu drooled. When I looked back up at him, he was sleeping. Isn’t he the cutest? I think he’s pretty cute.

“So, Rei,” Hikaru hung over the back of their seat.

“What do you have planned for tomorrow?” Kaoru draped his arms over his brother.

“No,” I curled into Ritsu’s ribs.

“Alright…”

“It appears we’ve caught you at a bad time.”

“It’s not that,” I pulled Ritsu’s arm around me a little tighter, “We have plans for today and tomorrow. You come over to my penthouse and you will be escorted off premises.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

I shut my eyes and joined my boyfriend in our sweet slumber. Something about long car rides…They got to me. When Ritsu and I take our bikes to Hakone, we’re fine. Mostly because I need to keep my eyes on the road. But even when it’s just the two of us on Ritsu’s bike, I don’t fall asleep. But these overnight trips hit me different. I get that way when Daddy and I go up to the Hamptons, too. Even this past summer, I slept on Ritsu’s arm most of the way there. And that’s just a two hour road trip. Six hours on the road like this was kicking my ass. And the sex beforehand? That might have something to do with this, too.

A little while later, I felt a buzz on my leg while a happy jingle chimed. Who the fuck would be calling me now? It’s damn near seven o’clock…When I checked the caller ID, I felt a little better while Ritsu squirmed against my back, “Hi, Daddy.”

“Hi, princess,” Daddy chimed on the other end. I miss him, “You sound like you’re just waking up, baby girl. Isn’t it kind of late where you are right now?”

“Fell asleep on the bus,” I curled back into Ritsu. This boy was unmovable, “What about you?”

“I just woke up, too,” he told me, “But it’s also 5AM and a little more acceptable. What do you mean, you fell asleep on the bus?”

“I’m on my way back to Tokyo from Osaka.”

“By yourself?” Daddy worried.

“No,” I explained, “School trip, Daddy. And I’m not by myself now either. I got a few friends here. And…Well…I think you know Ritsu.”

“Ritsu?” he wondered, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, “Who is this Ritsu kid? Should I be worried? Reila, are you pregnant?!”

“No, Daddy!” I giggled, “Jesus Christ…Should I call someone for you? Do I need to start looking into assisted living facilities?”

“I’m not that old, Rei!” Daddy whined, “You’re a little shit. You know that?”

“Love you, too.”

“Speaking of Ritsu,” Daddy asked, his voice taking a much more serious tone, “How is he doing?”

“Better, I think…” He’s still asleep, so I’ll take that as a good sign, “We didn’t get our weekend like we planned, but we kind of did.”

“That’s good.”

“I did get into a fight, though.”

“Reila!” Daddy groaned, “Ordinarily, I’d be proud of you, but you don’t need to be getting into scraps on international soil. I’m half tempted to full name you.”

“Hold on,” I didn’t like where this was going, “When you say full name, do you mean what’s on my birth certificate?”

“No, no, no,” he clarified, “I’m talking your _full_ name. I’m talking when you were a baby and baptized in Spain.”

“Daddy, we don’t have that kind of time,” I jabbed. My baptismal name is eight or nine names long and all of them are Spanish names, so it’s a fucking mouthful, too. He’s bluffing. He has to be.

“You make a valid point.” And he crumbles. Score one for me, “So, what are you doing, getting into fights?”

“It’s alright,” I promised, “We were both consenting parties. It was a prize fight with a friend of mine. Speaking of…Hey, Hikaru, Kaoru!”

“Yes, Reila?” they both popped up over the seat.

“Whatever happened to the prize money from my fight with Honey?” I wondered.

“Kyoya-senpai’s pocket,” Haruhi woke up for half a second, only to go back to sleep again. Aww…She’s all tuckered out. To be fair, we’ve been on the road for the last seven hours. I can’t blame her.

“Seriously?” I scoffed. Why am I surprised? I shouldn’t be, “I have to admit, if Kyoya knows nothing else, he definitely knows how to make a quick buck.”

“It’d be better if it wasn’t my daughter he was making that quick buck off of,” Daddy grumbled, “But respect.”

“Wow…” I said flatly, “Thanks, Daddy. I appreciate the support.”

“Hey,” Daddy averted my attention, “Let me talk to Ritsu for a sec.”

“Ok,” I cranked my neck back. Ritsu was still drooling on himself, but who am I to tell Daddy no? And Ritsu sure as hell wasn’t in any position to turn him down either, “Ritsu…”

Nothing.

I nudged him a little, “Ritsu…”

  
“Hmm?” Look at that. He lives.

“Phone for you, baby,” I handed him my phone, “It’s Daddy.”

“Yours or mine?” Ritsu joked darkly.

“You know better.” He’s so fucking lucky I love him. And that there are too many witnesses on this bus.

“I know, I know,” Ritsu gave me a quick kiss and took my phone, “Hi, Frankie.”

“Hey, Rei,” the twins motioned for me to join them in their seat. Ritsu’s within arm’s reach still. Just in case he needs me. 

“What do you two want?” I slid into their seat. Only for them to reconfigure, so I was in the middle. Fuck.

“Kasanoda’s pretty close with your dad,” Hikaru noticed, “Isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “So what?”

“That doesn’t worry you?” Kaoru wondered.

“Oh, god no,” I shook my head, “I love that Ritsu and Daddy are close. What does that have to do with anything?”

“Maybe he’s thinking about asking for your hand already,” Hikaru figured.

I probably shouldn’t tell these two about Ritsu and Daddy’s conversation when we were still in Spain, should I? Probably not. We’re in a moving vehicle for the next hour or so, I don’t want to deal with that. Besides, it was only in hypotheticals, “No. Ritsu wouldn’t do that without talking to me about it first. I never have to worry about Daddy and Ritsu being close. Sometimes, I’m worried about them ganging up on me, but for the most part, it’s totally worth it.”

“That’s so cute!” the twins awed, sandwiching me between them. Fuck…

“Um…Rei?” Thank God. I’ve never loved that boy more, “Phone for you. Your dad wants to talk to you.”

“Coming!” I got out of Hikaru and Kaoru’s way and slid back into our seat, falling into Ritsu, “Hi, Daddy.”

“Hi, princess,” Daddy awed, “I’m so fucking proud of you, kid.”

“What do you mean?” It’s not like Daddy didn’t have a million things to be proud of me for, but this one had me stumped.

“Just proud of you,” he reiterated, “I can hear it in his voice. Ritsu’s in a much better shape than the last time I talked to him. And I got a feeling you had something to do with that.”

“Maybe a little something.” So did our Hibiki and the sex we had on my roommates bed this morning, but it’s not like I’m going to tell him that.

“I miss you, Reila…” Something in Daddy’s voice wrenched my gut like nothing else. Almost like he knew something I didn’t. Or he just genuinely missed me. 

“I miss you, too, Daddy.” But I couldn’t help asking, “Is everything ok? Nothing’s getting stirred up back home? Abuelita’s doing ok?”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he promised, “As far as I know, Abuelita’s alright. I just talked to her the other day while she was making dinner, so…”

“You interrupted Abuelita while she was cooking?” I gasped. Abuelita had but two sacred places in this world. Church and her kitchen. And God help anyone that gets in the way while she’s cooking, “Daddy, that’s a mortal sin!”

“I know. But she called me!”

“Really?”

“Asking me for advice.” Alright. Now, I know Abuelita’s losing it. Not that Daddy doesn’t know his way around a kitchen, “Not really advice. More or less a sounding board. So, I know for a fact she’s alright. I got a meeting uptown in a couple days. I’ll call you then, ok?”

“Ok.” It’s not like I had to worry about that. Daddy’s been at this since he was nineteen and if the stories I’ve heard all hold true, the Old Man taught him well.

“And before you know it,” he added, “You’ll be back home again. Look, I need to get going, baby girl. I need to call Uncle César yet.”

“Ok,” I let him go, “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you, too, princess.” Click.

Fuck, I miss that man.

“Rei?” Ritsu gave me a nudge, “Reila…? You ok?”

“Little homesick,” I shook it off, “But I’ll be ok.”

“Good,” he took my hand, “Because we’re back at Ouran. We need to get going.”

“Alright,” I pulled myself onto my feet and threw my bag over my shoulder. At this point, I kind of just wanted to go home. 

By the time we got back to the penthouse, I still couldn’t shake my feeling about Daddy. When we got off the phone, I didn’t get the usual warm, fuzzy feeling hug our conversations normally gave me. I threw myself onto my couch and dragged my boyfriend down with me, my head in his lap and my eyes shut. Just a little, though. I wasn’t looking to pass out. Mostly to just get rid of this bullshit feeling my head decided to throw at me today.

“You know, Rei,” Ritsu ran his fingers through my hair, “You know what we could do?”

“What?”

“You sound like you could stand a good road trip,” he suggested.

“I just got off a road trip, Ritsu.”

“One that isn’t school sponsored,” Ritsu clarified, “And I bet I can think of someone that would love to see us again.”

“We don’t have that kind of time.” In a perfect world, I’d be making a flight home. I miss my dad. I miss my city. Not that Tokyo doesn’t have its perks, but it’s not New York. I miss home. 

“Road trip, Rei.” And Ritsu knew this was hitting me hard. So, God fucking bless him, he’s trying to get me out of this, “We’re still well packed. What do you say, baby? You and me and a trip to Karuizawa?”

Actually, Karuizawa probably wouldn’t be such a bad idea. I could stand to see Misuzu again, “If we leave now, we could make Karuizawa by midnight.”

“That’s my girl,” Ritsu pulled me onto my feet, “Shall we?”

“Yes, please.” Maybe a good four hours on the bike will help me clear my head. If anything, it’ll help suppress whatever the fuck kind of mess is in there now. And a little time in Karuizawa would be nice. It sucks we’ll have to leave by three tomorrow afternoon, so Ryoichi doesn’t bitch at me for missing work, but it’s worth it. Sometimes, a good change of scenery was all we needed. The wind on back of my arms and my head on Ritsu’s back. Life would be ok.

By the time we actually got to Karuizawa, the pension looked pretty quiet. Almost as if it was about to lock up for the night. Ritsu and I parked his bike and ran to the door before it had a chance to lock. And I think we might have caught Misuzu by surprise, “Reila! Ritsu!”

“Hi, Misuzu…” I gasped desperately for breath, “Tell me you have an empty room. Somewhere in there.”

“For you two?” a giant smile graced his face, “Of course. Always. Come in, come in. It’s cold outside tonight.”


	35. Out of the Frying Pan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Internet…
> 
> Hey, just a quick side note. I started posting the Good Old Days on Tumblr this week. Chapter one is up. My Tumblr handle is LumiOlivierLithium. It’s 100% Frankie backstory. And I’m already nine or ten chapters deep, so…You know. It’d be a shame if this didn’t go over. Because it’s kind of really good. And I’ve already written him meeting Vanessa, so…Do what you will with that information. Now, if you’ll excuse me…And a quick sidenote? Um…This chapter gets kind of heavy. Actually, the next few chapters are going to get kind of heavy, so…Please don’t be mad at me. I promise it has a purpose. I love you x.

The warm glow of the sun woke me up the next morning. I laid in bed, enjoying the peaceful silence in the coziest pension Karuizawa had to offer. What a beautiful way to start the week. A stunning view and a warm body to snuggle…up…with…Where the hell is Ritsu? I know he was here when I fell asleep. Did he leave? I rolled over and checked the nightstand. Hey! Ritsu didn’t leave me. Not entirely anyway. At least he was good enough to leave me a note.

_Went to get us breakfast_

_Waiting by the lake whenever you’re ready_

_x_

He’s fucking adorable. I think I’ll keep that one around. The last time he invited me down to the lake, he gave me my charm bracelet. I loved this bracelet. Maybe he’s adding to it. Or maybe he’s a sucker for nostalgia. Either way, I’ll take it. I pushed myself out of bed and got myself publicly presentable. As much as I needed to be for this ungodly hour anyway. I say ungodly. It’s barely ten o’clock. It’s not the end of the world, Reila. You’ll live. 

With one last look in the mirror, I left our room and headed downstairs. Wow. It seems I’ve hit the lobby at rush hour. The dining room looked almost packed. Misuzu’s got his hands full down here. If I didn’t have a date, I’d offer to help him out, but I’ll be working tonight anyway. I don’t need to exhaust myself, “Morning, Misuzu.”

“Reila!” Misuzu lit up, “Good morning, sweetheart. I just saw Ritsu come through here not too long ago. I was wondering when you’d come out.”

“When did you see Ritsu?” I wondered.

“Probably…” Misuzu thought for a moment or two, “Ten, fifteen minutes ago? He asked me where he could get good coffee outside the pension at this time of day.”

He hasn’t been waiting long. I melted inside a little. He’s too cute for his own good some days, “Thanks, Misuzu. I’m going to go find Ritsu.”

“What’s the game plan for today?” he asked.

“I’m not sure,” I started heading for the door, “We needed somewhere quiet. Just the two of us.”

“Aww…” Misuzu gushed, “You two are adorable. Go on. Go find your boyfriend.”

“That was the plan!” I skipped off in search of breakfast and the cutie I came here with. Sure enough, I looked over toward the dock and there he was. Ritsu sat at the end of it, his feet dangling over the edge. I snuck up behind him and draped myself over his shoulders, “Hi.”

“Hi.” Without missing a beat, Ritsu stole a quick kiss and handed me coffee. I think I’ll keep this one around, “I got donuts, too. I hope that’s ok.”

“Coffee and donuts and Karuizawa?” I laid my head on his shoulder, “You do get me.”

“Last time I checked,” he snaked his arm around me, “Someone has to.”

“What can I say?” I shrugged, “I am an enigma.”

“That’s for damn sure,” Ritsu giggled to himself, “By the way, there’s the real reason I wanted you to meet here.”

“What’s that, baby?” I wondered.

“I wanted to give this to you in Osaka,” he dug in his pocket, pulling out a dark blue box that I was starting to get all too familiar with, “But the timing seemed weird. We hardly got any time alone. Ideally, I would’ve given it to you as soon as I got back from Okinawa, but my ass was on the floor.”

“I know,” I kissed his cheek, “I know. I was there. I was coming off a shift at the Viper Pit when you came home.”

“I know that now,” Ritsu grumbled, “In hindsight anyway. But here.”

I opened up that little box and found a new charm for my bracelet. Normally, I’d be able to figure out what they meant as soon as I saw them, but this one had me stumped, “A paper airplane?”

“It was the first time we were ever apart for a substantial amount of time,” he explained, putting it on for me.

“And you still came home to me,” I watched his shaky hands clamp the ring shut.

“Yeah…” Ritsu kept quiet. That’s never a good sign.

“Ritsu?” I worried, “You ok?”

“Yeah,” he wrapped his arms around me, holding me tight, “I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?” Because a part of me was having a hard time believing that.

“I’m sure,” Ritsu kissed the top of my head, “I’m fine. I just wanted a nice, quiet morning with you. Is that so bad?”

“No,” I was still skeptical, but he made a valid point. There’s nothing wrong with us having a little peace and quiet before we go back to Tokyo and deal with the bullshit again. There was still something off about him. And I knew something that could make him feel better, “Hey, Ritsu?”

“Yeah, Rei?”

“What do you say we go back to the pension?” I suggested.

“For what?” he squeezed me tighter, “What’s so bad about being here?”

“We can’t have squishy fun time here,” I argued, “I’m not that big of an exhibitionist.”

“Oh!” Ritsu’s so cute, “Ok. Shall we?”

“Yes please.”

And squishy fun time, we had. But that’s something we leave the do not disturb sign on the door for. Because god forbid someone walked in on us. When all was said and done, though, the two of us laid in the aftermath, doing our best to catch our breath. Not that the sex wasn’t great, but this? This was nice. The calm after the storm was my favorite. Just Ritsu and me and not a care in the world. 

“Don’t make me go back,” I begged, “Please don’t make me go back. I don’t want to go back and deal with your dad, Ritsu. I really don’t.”

“I know you don’t,” Ritsu ran his fingers up my spine, “But we can’t fight him.”

“I know,” I pouted, “Not yet anyway.”

“Believe me…” he grumbled, holding me a little tighter, “I wish I could.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Ritsu brushed me off, “It’s nothing. You know, Rei, in a perfect world, we’d stay here forever.”

“You think?” I laid my head on his chest, “Just the two of us? We’d probably be at each other’s throats by the end of the week.”

“No,” he figured, “We’d have each other. At the end of the day, I think that’s all we’d need.”

“I don’t know,” I thought it over, “I’d kind of miss my dad…I got a soft spot in my heart for him.”

“I know you do,” Ritsu giggled, “I do, too. And he’d have my ass if I ever did anything to hurt you.”

“But we both know better,” I assured him, “You wouldn’t do that. Unless you’d want Daddy to fucking kill you.”

“Not willingly…” Ritsu let me go, “Come on. We should start heading back home.”

“God forbid I’m a few minutes late,” I joked darkly, “And I need to stop at home and get costumed up. I don’t even know what I’m doing for a routine tonight.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something. You always do.”

“And you’re sure you’re doing ok, Ritsu?” I started getting redressed.

“Fine,” he shook me off, “Hey, Rei?”

“What?”

“You know I love you, right?”

“Of course I do,” I rolled my eyes, “That’s not something I ever need to question.”

“And you know…” Ritsu winced, “Sometimes, I need to do things in the name of keeping you safe, right?”

“But you know I can handle myself,” I reiterated, getting one last kiss in, “Ritsu, if there’s something bothering you, just tell me.”

“It’s not really bothering me,” he admitted, “Just something on my mind.”

“What’s that?”

“I…” Ritsu hesitated. His hesitation makes me nervous, “I don’t like you working at the club.”

“I know you don’t,” I threw my jacket on and my bag over my shoulder, “But that’s the shady shit I need to do in order to keep _you_ safe. Got it?”

“Yeah…” he grabbed the door for me and the two of us headed out. There’s still something Ritsu isn’t telling me, but it’s like Daddy said. He’ll come to me when he’s ready.

“Are you leaving already?” Misuzu whined the second we stepped foot in the lobby.

“Sorry,” I dropped my bag and threw my arms around him, “We’ll be back before you know it, Misuzu. No need to worry.”

“You better,” he demanded, “Come back in the off season when it’s not so busy.”

“Will do!” I swore. I loved Misuzu. Something about Misuzu reminded me of Ranka. Not sure what, but I’m not saying that’s a bad thing.

The whole ride back to Tokyo was quiet. Normally, Ritsu would play with my fingers around his waist or at least check to see I’m still back here, but nothing. I know I had to be patient with this one, but dammit, he’s making it really hard to be patient. When we got back into town, we pulled up in front of my building like any other time. However, it didn’t give me the same warm, fuzzy feeling it normally gave me. Because _someone_ is being distant.

“Hey,” Ritsu offered, “You want a ride to work?”

“I appreciate it,” I shot him down, “But I got it. Besides, that means us looking too chummy in front of your dad and that probably wouldn’t be the best idea.”

“Good call,” he pulled me in, kissing me in a way he had never kissed me before. This was like the last meal on death row kind of kiss, “I love you, Reila.”

“I love you, too,” I kept my head about me, doing my best to not go into instant panic mode. Besides, when I walk into the Viper Pit, they can smell fear. 

I went back into my building and started preparing for the night ahead. Because God forbid Ryoichi’s favorite isn’t there to keep his lap warm. I couldn’t wait for the day when we could put the screws to that son of a bitch. Something in my gut said I didn’t have much more time to do that. It’s going to suck to lose my job at the Viper Pit, though. I like dancing on silks for money. I know I’m not being appreciated for my mind, but it’s neat when my hidden talents can make me a little extra cash on the side. 

Let’s see…What to wear, what to wear. I’m thinking something white. Something that plays up the innocence factor. And I’m sure it’d be something to stir up good feelings in Ryoichi, too. The pure entity he wants to keep close to him. Someone to keep in his pocket. His precious little bluebird. God, I need a shower. White leather. I’m thinking white leather. I do love me some leather. And leather loves me. I had a white leather dress hanging in my closet for such an occasion, too. Perfect. I wonder if I can manage to score some angel wings in the props closet at the club. Probably. That’s pretty standard.

I threw my leg over my bike and headed straight for Shinjuku. Still, deep down, I couldn’t shake Ritsu out of my head. I couldn’t help but rack my brain for possibilities of shit that could be bothering him. Something in that kiss didn’t feel right. It felt right, but it didn’t feel _right._ I just wish he’d tell me. Still, I had a job to do. Two of them, to be exact. I needed to play into Ryoichi’s hands and I needed to dazzle the crowd. Before I could do that, I needed to go see one of my favorite madames.

“Reina!” Minako awed.

“Hi, Minako,” I threw myself into her chair.

“What’s the matter, honey?” she wondered, “You seem down.”

“It’s nothing,” I shook her off, “Just a little down. Nothing to be worried about.”

“Alright,” Minako knew better than to push me. She’s seen what I can be like when I’m pissy and I didn’t need that before going on, “So, rumor has it, you got upgraded to the penthouse suite.”

“Yeah,” I scoffed, “Lucky me.”

“Be careful, Reina,” she warned me, “There are girls here that would kill to be in your position. There are girls that have been here for years, clawing for that position. Some might get jealous.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had a target on my back,” I pointed out, “Likely not the last. Hell, I probably have one on me now and don’t even know it. It wouldn’t surprise me.”

“The life you live outside this club concerns me, Reina,” Minako finished me up, “But as long as you know. Just be careful, ok?”

“Ok,” I nodded, already feeling some of the glares from outside, “Thanks, Minako.”

“Go on,” she sent me off, “You make my job easy.”

“I got some damn good genetics,” I bragged, “My mom was a beautiful woman and my dad isn’t the worst looking creature in the world.”

“I’m sure he’d appreciate the compliment,” Minako giggled, “Go. Get out of here. Good luck tonight.”

“Thanks,” I hopped out of her chair and walked upstairs with a fuck you attitude plastered on my face. Hopefully, that’d be enough to where I don’t have to throw hands with anyone. I really didn’t have that kind of energy in me tonight. When I got to the upper floor, I noticed Ryoichi wasn’t here. Oh, well. He told me I wasn’t going in the cages anymore, so I made myself comfortable in his throne.

“Excuse me?” one of the bigger bouncers thought he’d be menacing, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing in the boss’s chair?”

“I was told to sit up here,” I wasn’t moving. Ryoichi had a hell of a taste in furniture. This was nice.

“You don’t belong up here,” he threw me out of the chair, “Downstairs with all the others like a good little whore.”

“Ex-fucking-cuse me?” I snapped, ready to punch this asshole right in the mouth, “No, no, no, motherfucker. I was _told_ to be up here.”

“By who?”

“By the big boss,” I was always taught to throw my weight around only when the situation called for it. Granted, I might be a little thing, but a bitch had power here. Just a little bit, but enough to shut this prick up, “When he’s not here, that’s _my_ seat. Maybe you should be downstairs, mopping the cum off the floor instead of up here, pretending to have a pair, you fucking shit stain.”

Slow claps echoed behind me while the asshole in front of me backed off. Damn right, he did, “Good girl, Reina…Good girl.”

“Ryoichi…” I got up from the chair, letting him take it, “You were testing me?”

“I wanted to see what you’d do,” he admitted, patting his lap, “And I liked what I saw. Very biting. Now, come here. Come sit.”

I sat back down on Ryoichi’s lap, feeling my skin crawl, “So, how’d I do?”

“You passed with flying colors,” Ryoichi snaked his arm around my waist, “More importantly, how was your weekend?”

Seriously? He wants to make small talk? Instead of getting defensive, I gave him exactly what he wanted, “Pretty good. It was quiet. Peaceful. It was nice. I got caught up my sleep, which was absolutely wonderful.”

“That’s good to hear,” he ran his fingers through my hair. That was just done. A part of me wanted to beat the shit out of him for it, but I calmed myself down.

“What about you?” If he was looking for me to give shit away, maybe I could do the same.

“Me?” Ryoichi looked at me strange.

“Yeah,” I nodded, “How was your weekend?”

“Not bad,” he told me, “I had the whole compound to myself. It was kind of weird.”

“I’m sorry,” I awed, “What was the occasion?”

“The kid went on his class trip this weekend.” I know, dude. I went with him, “He should’ve come back today. I tried talking him out of it.”

“Why?” I wondered.

“I told him he should’ve stuck around,” Ryoichi went on, “Spent a little time with his fiancée, but no. He insisted on his class trip for whatever reason.”

HIS FUCKING WHAT?!


	36. It's Too Quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! Look. I know. I’m about to be asshole of the year. I’m apologizing in advance. I’m sorry for being such a dick. But this is going to be a really heavy chapter. The next couple will be. Just…Hang in there. Know that I love you. And that this has plot relevance. Don’t you worry your pretty little heads about it, K? Love you x.

I don’t remember Ritsu proposing to me. Other than our preproposal in the music room to get the host club off our asses. If that’s the case, then why the fuck would Ryoichi talk about Ritsu’s fiancée? It couldn’t be anyone other than me…Right? RIGHT? Is that mother fucker cheating on me? He fucking better not be or there will be hell to pay. And not just from me. That asshole would get dragged to the fucking Narrows and beaten around the block a time or six. And he fucking knows it.

But we couldn’t think about that right now. Because his fucking girlfriend needs to go up and dance onstage for a little while for the sake of keeping an eye on his cheating ass! Normally, I’m not the type for country. Then again, I’m also not the type for subtlety either. What’s the point in being subtle when sometimes, the point a bitch is trying to make needs to be slammed over someone’s head like a steel fucking chair? So, tonight’s selection would be…Well, my levels of subtlety. How about Before He Cheats? That seems about the right level of subtle.

The only difference is that my Louisville Slugger doesn’t go to the headlights. It goes to the head. It goes to the fucking kneecaps. It makes sure that asshole doesn’t fucking walk again. I wouldn’t have the heart to key up his bike. She’s too beautiful. She didn’t hurt me. But I never thought he would either…Still, I wouldn’t hurt his bike like that. But I would make damn sure he knew. I’m fucking pissed. And the only way to vent would be the highest energy routine I’ve done to date. If that prick was cheating on me, then I’d have no reason to stay here.

When my routine was done and over with, I headed back upstairs. Sure enough, guess who was standing right next to his dad, no doubt waiting for me? Don’t hit him, Rei. Not here. Not now. You wait until you’re alone and then, beat the ever living shit out of him. No…If I wanted to hurt him, I knew just the way to do it. I slinked into Ryoichi’s lap and cuddled into his shoulder. I’d hate myself for what I was about to do, but it’s going to be worth it, “How was that…Daddy?”

“Beautiful as always, bluebird,” Ryoichi ran his fingers down my back while I reveled in the confused as fuck look on Ritsu’s face, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think someone did you wrong.”

“Someone did do me wrong,” I growled, only to soften my tone in my next breath, “But I’ll be alright. I’ve always been the resilient type. Why get mad when you can get even?”

“That’s my girl,” Ryoichi gushed, “You’re awfully cuddly tonight, too. I like it.”

“I’m glad you like it,” I got even closer, draping my arms around his neck…and watching Ritsu squirm out of the corner of my eye. Good.

“Hey, Ritsu,” Ryoichi played with my hair some more, “Have you heard from Sayori since you’ve been back? She’s probably worried sick about you.”

Ritsu jumped at the name and guilt washed over his face, “No. I haven’t.”

So, the bitch’s name is Sayori, is it? I wonder if I could find out her last name. I continued to casually flirt with Ryoichi in the name of making Ritsu incredibly uncomfortable. Not to mention, he was in a position where he couldn’t do a damn thing about it. Good. Let him fucking suffer. Let him be miserable. Let him know what he fucking did to me. After all the shit he and I have been through together, he throws it away for someone else? She must really be fucking special to do that to me.

When that final whistle blew, I gave Ryoichi a kiss on the cheek and started heading out. And to nobody’s surprise, Ritsu came after me. It’s his funeral, “Rei, wait…!”

“No!” I pulled my knife out of my bag, “No…Unless you want to come up missing a testicle, you stay the fuck away from me and leave me alone.”

“Rei, listen…” he begged, but I still wasn’t having it.

“If you come near me,” I glared a hole through him, “I will kill you without hesitation.”

Before he could say anything else, I threw my leg over my bike and headed straight home. I wasn’t going to stop off at the diner on the corner. I wasn’t going to go say hi to Ranka down the street. I needed to go home. And once I got there, I threw myself in bed and bawled my eyes out in a safe place where no one would ever know. After all we’ve been through…He fucking does this shit? No. I don’t want to think he’s capable of it, but…

Fuck, why does this hurt so much? And why did he do this to me? What did I ever do to him? I understood him better than anyone else on the face of the earth. I knew who he was and what he was about. At least I thought I did. Did none of it matter? Did our week in Spain not matter? Did our entire summer in New York not matter? Did me bringing him home to practically my entire family saying this is the best damn thing that ever happened to me not matter? If it did, then why is he throwing it away like this? What did I do?

All I knew was that after an hour of crying, I was too exhausted to do it anymore. If that’s how he was going to be, then fuck him. I still had shit I needed to do. After maybe three hours of solid sleep, I pushed myself out of bed and took myself to school. Because I sure as fuck wasn’t going to wait around for him to show up and try to fix this. Not when he made sure there was nothing there to fix anymore. Before I tackled going to my homeroom, I needed coffee. And lots of it. And more espresso than God knew what to do with. Especially because I know I’m going to have to deal with the twins and their million and one questions. And I’m not dealing with it today. Fuck that. 

I walked into class with four shots of espresso in my latte and a fuck you glare in my eyes. At this point, everyone could fuck off and I’d be…Well, I wouldn’t be happy, but it’d make life a hell of a lot easier. I sat down and threw my bag on my desk, burying my face in it. I wasn’t going to start crying. Not in the middle of class. But I’ll be damned if anyone needed to see my face today. It almost made me wish for kendo, so I’d have an excuse to beat the absolute fuck out of him. He needed it. And God knows I could use it, too. Nothing like a little physical release to set my body back to its factory settings.

“Good mor…!”

“Fuck off,” I snapped, barely peeking over my bag, “Both of you.”

“Ouch…” Hikaru sat down.

“What did we do?” Kaoru joined him.

“Not today,” I demanded, my voice cracking a bit, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Guys…” Haruhi stepped in, “Leave her alone.”

“Be careful, Haruhi,” Hikaru warned her, “Rei’s in a mood.”

“I think I could…” Even the sound of his voice…What once brought me such comfort, such serenity, now infuriated me. Every fiber of my being said to knock this asshole six feet in the fucking ground.

“You stay the fuck away from me,” I growled. If looks could kill, he would’ve just disintegrated, “We had this discussion.”

“Rei…?” Haruhi was gentle. Haruhi was sweet. As much as I loved her, Haruhi had no power over me today, “Do you need to talk?”

“I’d rather sit here and seethe,” I spoke flatly.

“Alright.” And God bless her, she didn’t push me. Good. Because if someone pushed me just the right way today, it’d be their funeral, “You know…If you ever need to…”

“Thanks, Haruhi,” I relaxed a little. It’s good to know I have friends I can trust. It’s unfortunate that I had an asshole boyfriend that was fucking around on me. 

“Wow, Kasanoda,” Hikaru gasped.

“What did _you_ do?” Kaoru wondered.

“Not…One…Fucking…Word…” I stepped in. I knew Hikaru and Kaoru were good for that kind of shit, for digging around in business that wasn’t theirs. And today was not the day for them to go digging.

“Yes, ma’am.” They both shut up. Good. 

“Reila Mendoza,” one of the student advisors stood in the doorway.

Oh, God, what now? I lifted my head up, “Yeah?”

“Could you come with me, please?”

“Sure,” I left my bag on the desk and followed her out. What the fuck would they want with me? The two of us stood outside the office near the phone, “What is it?”

“You have a phone call,” she told me, “Pick up the receiver and press the pound key.”

“Ok.” Who the hell would be calling me like this? Anyone important knows to call my phone, but I’m also in class. What would be so important? I picked up the phone and answered my call, “Hello?”

“Hi, Rei…” a deep, shaky voice greeted me on the other end. And my stomach turned into a knot. Even worse than what it already was. 

“Uncle César?” I wondered, “Hi…What are you calling me here for?”

“I didn’t pull you out of class or nothing, did I?” he hoped.

“No,” I started getting nervous, “It’s homeroom. No big deal. Uncle César, what’s going on?”

“I wish I had better news for you, kid,” Uncle César began, “But…It’s your dad.”

Oh, God…I sat down on the nearby bench, “What happened?”

“He went to the Bronx,” he explained, “He said he was going to try and extend and olive branch, you know? Trying to make peace with the families, so everything else runs smoother. You know how your dad is.”

“Yeah,” my shaking only got worse. And the knot in my stomach got tighter, “What happened?”

“You need to get home, Reila,” Uncle César ordered, “You need to get home now…”

“Tell me he’s alive,” I begged. I didn’t want to say it. Hell, I didn’t even want to fucking think it. But it’s always been said what my biggest weak spot was. And the quiet on the other end wasn’t exactly instilling confidence either, “Uncle César, tell me he’s alive…”

“Rei…”

“TELL ME HE’S FUCKING ALIVE!” I screeched into the phone.

“He’s in ICU,” Uncle César’s voice shook even worse, “He got shot, Rei. It wasn’t pretty…”

I took a minute to gather myself. I’m not going to cry. Not right now. But dammit, it’s hard to hold this shit back, “I’m on my way. I’ll be on the next flight to New York.”

“Ok,” Uncle César let me go, “See you soon, kariña.”

“See you soon.”

Click.

Fuck…I hung the phone up and headed back to my homeroom, fighting tears the whole way down the hall. No. Daddy’s going to be ok. He’s going to be fine. But this was bad. This was flashbacks to Mama all over again and I fucking hated this. He’s going to be ok. He has to be. I can’t be an orphan this young. No fucking way. I made sure not to make eye contact with anyone and grabbed my bag off my desk, throwing it around my shoulders. But of course, because no one can get called out of a classroom without being asked any questions.

“Rei…?” Haruhi was a brave soul, “Is everything ok?”

That was a loaded question. And that poor baby didn’t need me unloading on her. Not like this. But I knew damn well he was listening. And as much as I hated him right now…I could really use him. But I didn’t want to come out and say it. But I knew something that would click in his head, “It’s quiet uptown…”

With those few words, I walked out of class with zero regard for anything or anyone else. I needed to get to the airport as soon as I could. But I had one last loose end to tie up before I left town. As much as I didn’t want to, I headed into Shinjuku. I could do this. It’s not the first time I’ve gone into the Viper Pit alone. Likely not the last. I gave a nod to Shiro behind the bar and headed straight upstairs. Sure enough, there he was. 

“Reina!” Ryoichi chimed, “You’re here awfully early. What are you doing here?”

“I have to go out of town for a while,” I told him, “Just thought I’d let you know before I left.”

“Who said you could leave?” he asked, a growl in his voice.

“I did,” I wasn’t in the mood to deal with him today. It’s bad enough I had to deal with his son. It’s even worse I have to deal with him. I am not in the place right now and I will not hesitate to cut a mother fucker right now, “It’s a family thing, boss. I have to go.”

“Alright,” Ryoichi dropped it, “Go on. I hope everything turns out ok.”

“So do I,” I mustered up a smile and turned on my heel. The sooner I can get to the airport, the better. I booked the first flight to New York I could find. Fortunately, there was a direct flight to JFK from Tokyo International. Good. I needed to get home. And I needed to get home now.

He’ll be ok. He has to be ok. Daddy can’t…He won’t…Daddy can’t die. Not like this.


	37. The Unimaginable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends. Look, I know for the last few weeks, these chapters have gotten kind of heavy. But I promise this is the last heavy one. And uh…You want to hear something neat? The original title for this chapter? It was in French. But I opted against it. Don’t worry. I’ve shed my fair share of tears over these chapters, too. But I promise we’ll be ok. Alright? Look at me. We’ll be alright. I love you x.

Fuck jet lag. Fuck jet lag so hard. Transcontinental flights kicked my ass on any normal day. But this? This was way worse. No. I couldn’t afford to think like that. When I get there, Daddy’s going to be ok. He’ll be out of the hospital and at the kitchen table with a copy of the Wall Street Journal like every other time I come home. Or better yet, I’ll get off my flight and he’ll be waiting at the gate for me with open arms. Yeah. That’s exactly how this is going to go down.

However, I Couldn’t get that lucky. Instead, I ran into Uncle César’s arms with no shame. I knew why he was there and I knew where Daddy was. No one would be able to blame me. And Uncle César held me tight, “He’ll be ok, Rei. You know he will.”

“He has to be,” I wept, “I can’t handle him being gone, Uncle César. I just…I can’t…”

“Shhh…” he ran his hand down my back, “I know.”

“He can’t…” My voice was so shot. And my shaking only got worse.

“I know, baby,” Uncle César was always the best to have in a crisis. If anyone could convince me everything was going to be ok other than Daddy, it’d be him, “Hey, are you ok to go to the hospital or do you want to…?”

“Yeah,” I shook it off, “Let’s go. Right now.”

“Are you sure?” he worried, “I understand if you don’t.”

“No,” I insisted, “I need to see him.”

“He might still be in surgery, kid,” Uncle César and I started heading out to the parking lot, “You may not be able to see him right away.”

“I don’t fucking care,” I snapped.

“Alright,” he got the door for me. This ride to the hospital would take a fucking eternity. He’s going to be ok, though. He has to be.

“Rei-Rei,” Uncle Tony greeted us at the door. He pulled me into his chest, “I love when you’re home, but I hate the circumstances.”

“You and me both,” I agreed, “Have you heard anything?”

“They got the bullet out,” Uncle Tony reported, “The bleeding has stopped. The impact of the gunshot broke a couple of his ribs. Right now, we’re just waiting for him to wake up.”

“Can I see him?” I hoped.

“I don’t know,” Uncle Tony winced, “I think that’s something you have to clear with his doctor.”

“Swear to God,” I rolled my eyes and made my way to reception. 

“Hi,” one of the nurses greeted me with a disgustingly sweet smile, “Can I help you?”

“Can you tell me which room Francisco Mendoza is in please?” I asked, doing my best to not take this shit out on her. She didn’t deserve that.

  
“He is in…” she checked her computer, “Room 3343. Are you family?”

“I’m his daughter,” my voice broke.

“Alright,” she unlocked the door, “Come with me.”

“Thank you.” He’s ok. He’ll be fine. It’s like Uncle Tony said. They got the bullet out. That’s half the battle right there. And the bleeding stopped, so we’ll call that one a win, too. 

The nurse stuck her head in the door, “Hold on. He’s still asleep.”

“I don’t care,” I stood my ground, “I just got off a fourteen hour direct flight from Japan for this very reason.”

She backed away. I could see it in her eyes. She knew what the Mendoza name meant in this town. She knew I could have her disappear without a trace with no problem. I walked into the room and sat next to him. Daddy was hooked to two different IVs and a monitor. That beeping…That beeping would be burned into my brain for at least the next forty years. I knew I’d be hearing it in my nightmares tonight. I slid my hand into his, holding onto it gently, but with everything I got. You have to be ok, Daddy…You have to be ok. I don’t have it in me to take on the family. Not without you. Not in the state I’m in.

But then…Before I could have a total fucking breakdown, I felt a little squeeze in my fingers. And my heart stopped, “Daddy…?”

Daddy’s eyes opened up. And a little smile graced his face, “Hi, princess.”

“Daddy!” I squeaked, hugging him tight, doing my damnedest to not start bawling right then and there. More importantly, I could fucking breathe again.

“Ow…” he winced, “Rei…Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I’m still a little banged up.”

“Sorry,” I let him go, “What the fuck happened to you?”

“I got shot,” Daddy chuckled a bit. Music to my fucking ears, “This is what happens when you try to smooth over a thirty year score in the Bronx. We were making headway, kid. And…Well…On a positive note, we’re free to move around in the Bronx all we want now. But someone was still holding onto that petty ass grudge. And…Here I am. Got me right in the fucking ribs. Any higher and he would’ve got me in the heart.”

“Thank God for his shitty aim,” I joked darkly.

“Like a fucking Stormtrooper,” he agreed, “What are you doing here, Rei? You should be in school.”

“No,” I shook my head, “I should be here. School can wait.”

“I’ll be alright,” Daddy promised, “Go back to Tokyo. I’ll make it. It’ll take a lot more than one bullet to take me out.”

“Daddy,” I groaned, “How much higher would he have had to aim for it to hit your heart?”

“We’re not going to talk about it…”

“Exactly.” This man’s lucky to be alive…It got me thinking how many times this has happened before. If at all. I knew Daddy had scars he never told me about, but still…

But then, a knock at the door was enough to get Daddy’s attention. Along with the nurse in the doorway, “Frankie? I thought I heard you awake.”

“Hi, Clara,” Daddy’s face lit up like a fucking Christmas tree. 

“It’s good to see you,” she smiled sweetly, “I was just about to head home. You need anything before I go?”

“No,” he shook his head, “I’m good. Thank you. I’ll see you later.”

“It better be under better circumstances next time.”

I watched as Daddy watched her walk out the door, “She’s sweet, Daddy.”

“Yeah, she is,” Daddy gushed, “She was on call when I came in. She’s…Something special, Rei. Kind of a ball buster, but I like her.”

“I can see that.” He never was the subtle type. And now I know where I get it from, “At this rate, you might as well ask her for her number.”

“Bold of you to assume I haven’t,” he smirked, showing off a piece of paper next to his bed, “Even nursing a bullet wound and high as a fucking kite on pain meds, kid, I still got it.”

“We should have them check your head, too,” I teased, “Might be a screw or two loose.”

“Ha, ha,” Daddy couldn’t wipe the smile off his face if he wanted to, “You know…I might actually give her a shot.”

“What do you mean?” I knew exactly what he meant. He just needed to hear himself say it.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve been on a date, Reila?” Daddy thought it over, “Probably…Fuck, it’s been years.”

“Nobody since Mama that I know,” I told him.

“Dare I do it?” he wondered, “If I ask her out, do I have your blessing?”

“You have to ask me?” I gasped. I knew what he was getting at. And honestly, I was kind of flattered. It’s sweet that Daddy asked me, but he should know better. I know he had his soulmate. And I knew he had that in Mama, but he also deserves to be happy. And a second chance. And by the looks of things, it might be with the pretty nurse. I’m not calling her my stepmom anytime soon, but at the same time, it’s sweet that Daddy asked, “I’ll think about it.”

“Alright,” Daddy didn’t push me. God fucking bless him, “It’s weird to see you by yourself, princess. What? I’m guessing Ritsu’s back at the house?”

Oh…Daddy…I’ll let you have that one. You didn’t know. You just got shot. I can let that slide, “No. He’s back in Japan.”

“Really?” he looked at me strange, “I kind of thought you two were inseparable.”

“Yeah…” my voice broke, “So did I. But now, that piece of shit can go die in a fucking hole.”

“Whoa there,” Daddy settled me, “That’s awfully strong, Rei. What did I miss?”

“No,” I stopped him, “I’m not going to put you through that, Daddy. I’ll let you get some rest instead. You don’t need to hear about my love life.”

“Reila…”

“No,” I put my foot down, “Daddy, I just got off a long ass flight. I’m so fucking jet lagged. I think I’m going to head home. Now that I know you’re going to make it.”

“Damn right, I am,” Daddy pulled me into his shoulder, “Alright…We’ll talk later, ok?”

“Ok…” I’m not going to cry. Not here. Not now. Daddy didn’t need that. 

“I love you, Reila,” Daddy kissed the top of my head.

“I love you, too.” Cry in the cab, Rei. Cry in the cab. It wouldn’t be the first time you’ve cried in the back of a cab. Likely not the last.

When I got back to our building, I took that elevator to the top floor. Well…The beginning of the top floor. The first floor of our penthouse. I found Uncle Tony and Uncle César sitting in the living room, bullshitting back and forth like they always did. And over a metric shit ton of good Mexican food. At least it looked good. But I didn’t have shit for an appetite. As soon as I walked in the door, though, they were both on their feet, staring a hole through me.

“He’s awake,” I told them, “But I’m going to go to bed.”

“Ok, Rei,” Uncle César let me go, “Good night, sweetheart.”

“Good night…” I went straight to my room and buried myself in my blankets. Before I shut my eyes, I did one last check of my phone. Wow. To no surprise, I had four missed calls. And they were all from the same person. The same asshole that I just told my dad could go die in a hole. Dare I even listen to the voicemails? No. I had too much shit on my plate right now to deal with him, too. I just plugged in my charger and rolled over.

Bzz…

No, Reila. Don’t do it.

Bzz…

Nope. Not happening.

Bzz…

I grabbed my phone off my nightstand and looked down at the screen. That one picture I didn’t need to see. The picture Abuelita took of us when we were still in Spain. That pretty sunset over the water…He told me how much he loved me that night. And I loved him then, too. But now…That sunset was like a fucking forest fire. And I needed to be the one to put it out. I held the power button on my phone and threw it back on the nightstand. No. I’m not dealing with that.

I don’t want to hear the empty apologies. I don’t want to hear how much he wants me back. I don’t want to hear his bullshit excuses. Right now, I just wanted him to leave me alone. I wanted to be left alone. Just for a little while. At least until Daddy comes home. Even after that, I don’t know if I’ll go back to Japan. Maybe I could transfer back here. Finish up high school, then take over the family. That’s always been the plan anyway. 

Until he had to come in and fuck everything up. He had to come in and make me fall in love. And then, he takes that love and throws it out the goddamn window. And to make matters worse, I was about to take down a major fucking syndicate because of that asshole. No. If that’s the way he’s going to be, then so be it. Let him turn into his asshole dad for all I care. I got better shit to worry about than him.


	38. You Still Got It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. Hi, friends! Look, I know it’s been a rough couple chapters. So, how about a breather? This week is a nice chapter. I promise. It’s very sweet and very pure and also casual promotion for what I do every Monday on Tumblr. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make some lunch. I’m hungry and need to sustain myself. Love you x

Hard to believe I’ve been here a week. A whole week of me waking up in my own bedroom. A whole week of me waking up at home. A whole week away from my penthouse. A whole week out of Japan away from my friends. I’m actually kind of impressed. No one has tried to contact me since I left. I haven’t gotten a single text, a single call. Nothing. It’s weird when the host club understands and respects my boundaries. I’m not complaining, though. I miss them, though. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. _Him_ on the other hand? My feelings remain unchanged.

Then again, I haven’t turned my phone on since the night I came back from the hospital. Maybe they have tried getting a hold of me. But I can’t…I don’t have the heart to turn my phone back on. It’s still incredibly fragile and I didn’t need that. I didn’t need the pity and the boo-hoo bullshit. And as much as I’d appreciate it, I don’t need Mori calling me, asking if he needs to beat the shit out of a certain someone I’ve suppressed from my mind for the last week. I wonder if he would…No. I wouldn’t want someone taking the satisfaction away from me.

Although, on a much more positive note, Daddy was out of the hospital. At this point, I’m just happy he’s alive. I don’t care about anything else anymore. Daddy’s still breathing. He’s still alive. After hearing he got shot, my mind instantly went to Mama. I didn’t need to lose another parent like that. I deserved better, dammit. And having my uncles here isn’t the worst thing in the world either. Even though I knew why they were here. They were my impulse control. Even though Daddy said everything was smoothed over in the Bronx, that didn’t mean they were totally safe. For them. Especially if my pissed off temper were to roll through town. Uncle Tony and Uncle César kept me from doing that.

But this morning felt different. This morning felt like the morning where I needed to go blow off some steam. And where better to do that than in the ballroom? I loved that ballroom more than most things. That was my happy place. It brought me back to much happier times. Where Mama was still alive and she’d spin me around until I got dizzy, fell to the floor, and laughed my ass off about it. Even though I’ve been back home for the last week, I was starting to get itchy. I wanted to get back on the silks. Because where better to level my head out than the closest I’ll ever get to flying?

Dare I try to work out a routine for the Viper Pit here? I mean, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but the thought of going back to Japan right now made me queasy. Especially to a shit hole like the Viper Pit. Eww. But it’s the only place I get paid to do silks. I can’t be mad at that. I loved what I did. And I used to love the reason I did it, but…Well…Things change. People change. Sometimes, people show their true colors and are found out to be pieces of shit. But that’s not going to sully my appreciation for my art. All I needed was a song.

I put my phone on shuffle and decided to go with the first song to pop up. I needed something high energy. Something that says I’m about to fuck someone’s shit up. Because honestly? That’s the mood right now. I grabbed an energy drink out of the fridge and threw it back with no problem. Although, when the first song started to play, I immediately got nauseous. Nope. Not doing that. Fuck, I hate that he ruined the Gazette for me. Because Shiver’s a damn good song. 

But the next one…The next one was strange. Because it was one of those songs I never thought to do a silks routine to. It wasn’t loud or high energy, but that didn’t make it any less good. Nope…Not feeling it. Sorry, Tiny Dancer. Not happening today. But then, some distorted guitars came up. The Bitch of Living from Spring Awakening…Don’t look at me like that. I can appreciate showtunes from time to time, too. A clever masturbation metaphor, but that one’s not doing it, either.

“Show me how to lie,” the speakers barked out, “You’re getting better all the time. And turning all against the one is an art that’s hard to teach…”

Yes. This one. I said I needed high energy. And God fucking bless the Offspring for coming through. I hopped up into my foot locks and did every flip and spin I could manage. I needed something to get the anger out. I needed something to act as a catharsis. And as much as Carrie Underwood helped back in Japan (I know. It’s weird for me to think about, too.), I needed something different in here. I needed something that would finish me off and make me feel like I could punch a hole in a wall. I didn’t want to punch a hole in the wall. I wanted to punch a wall in my (possibly) ex-boyfriend. I needed those screeching guitars in my ear to make things all better. And all better, they did.

“Holy shit, kid,” Uncle César stood in the doorway as I started to come down, “You’ve gotten better at that since I last saw you.”

“Thanks, Uncle César!” I chirped, running on pure adrenaline, “I’ve been getting in a lot of practice with the silks lately. Did you need me for something?”

“Not me,” he clarified, “Your dad’s looking for you.”

“Really?” I wondered, “For what?”

“I don’t know,” Uncle César shrugged, “He just told me to come and get you.”

“Ok,” I caught my breath for half a second, “Where is he?”

“Downstairs.”

I thought for a second or two, “He’s in the parking structure?”

“Last I heard.”

“Ok,” I took a quick shower and grabbed another energy drink out of the fridge. The more caffeine I could pump into my body, the better. I had been home for the last week, but I’m still running on Tokyo time. Come on, body. You’re home. Get used to being home again. Either way, I got in the elevator and took it down to the parking structure. Sure enough, Daddy stood in the open space where no one ever parked. This part was practically abandoned, “Hi, Daddy.”

“Hey, princess,” Daddy smiled a bit, “Took you long enough. I sent César to get you half an hour ago”

“What are you doing down here?” I wondered, “We haven’t been down here since I started learning about how the family worked.”

“That’s kind of why I wanted you to come down here in the first place,” he admitted, “You know what sounds like a good idea?”

“What?” I laid my head on his shoulder.

“Something I’m sure we both could use,” Daddy thought, “I could stand to go a couple rounds…What about you?”

“You seriously invited me down here for a fight?” I gasped, “Daddy, are you fucking high? You just got out of the hospital! We’re not bare knuckle fighting down here.”

“You’re probably right,” he taunted me, “I mean…Even though I just got out of the hospital, you still probably couldn’t take me.”

“Excuse me?” I scoffed, “I seem to remember winning a few of those fights, Daddy. Don’t try to give me that bullshit.”

“Well, well,” he smirked, “Look who’s got the sensitive temper today.”

“I usually have a sensitive temper,” I reminded him, “Have you just met me?”

“I think I met you about…” Daddy thought back, “Almost…Seventeen years ago? Some hospital in Williamsburg? Sound about right?”

“I’d think so,” I rolled my eyes. Good to see that gunshot didn’t screw with his head.

“Come on, Reila,” he begged, “Please? We’ll fight just like the old days.”

“Really?” I remember how we fought in the old days. It’d be Daddy throwing himself around and pretending it was me doing it. Until I got a little older and I started developing muscle. Then, we scrapped for real. But even then, he never went all out on me. He didn’t have the heart to, “Just like the old days?”

“Promise.”

“Well…” I walked over to the roll of tape laying on the floor and started taping up my knuckles, “If it’s going to be like we did in the old days, I don’t see why not.”

“Wonderful!”

Daddy threw the first punch, sufficiently knocking me off my feet. I did my best to regain my footing, “What the hell, Daddy? That was a cheap shot.”

“Oh, come on,” he poked at me some more, “Get up, Rei. I raised you better than that.”

“No,” I threw a pop to his shoulder, making sure to avoid his ribs at all costs. He doesn’t need to go back to the hospital because of me. Although, he was quick and blocked me, “You didn’t _raise_ me better than that. You _trained_ my ass better.”

“That’s my girl,” Daddy beamed with pride, holding his hands up, “Give me a quick one, two.”

“K,” I threw a punch into the palms of his hands without hesitation, “Do you mind if I show you something I learned from a friend of mine?”

“Go ahead, baby.”

It’s too bad I didn’t have my kendo staff here. I missed kendo. But I had the next best thing. I had a long piece of pipe instead! I gave it a couple spins and then, got Daddy in the backs of his knees. Thank you, Mori. It was enough to get him to the ground. I sat on the tops of his legs, “Told you. I can occasionally win a fight between us.”

“Who said I’m down for the count?” he whined.

“Really?”

“Alright, alright,” Daddy laughed, “I got it. I’m down. That’s all from your kendo class?”

“It’s a good way to cap off my day,” I kissed his cheek, “Don’t worry…You still got it, old man.”

“Aww…” he gushed, “Thanks, Rei. I needed that. Speaking of things I could use…”

“What do you need?” I wondered, getting up from his lap.

“Care to explain to me what the fuck happened with you and Ritsu?” Fuck…I was hoping he’d forget about that.

“What is there to say?” I sighed out, resting my head on his shoulder, “He broke my heart, Daddy. I gave it to him and he shattered it to pieces. He was cheating on me.”

“What?” Daddy looked at me like I was on drugs, “No…Ritsu? Really? He does know you could kill him with your bare hands, right?”

“That didn’t seem to matter,” I choked out, “Apparently, he’s engaged to some chick named Sayori, too. So, chances are, I was the side bitch.”

“No, no, no,” Daddy hugged me tight, “You are nobody’s side bitch. You’re main event, baby girl. And you know it.”

“Thanks, Daddy…”

“There’s probably a logical explanation for this,” he figured, “I mean…To see the two of you together…I’ve never seen either one of you so genuinely fucking happy. It was almost gross to watch. I got diabetic from watching you two.”

“I doubt it,” I sighed out, “He… _cheated_ on me. That’s not exactly something I can forgive so easily.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, sweetheart,” Daddy kissed the top of my head, “You want me cut him?”

“No…”

“That’s very mature of you, Reila,” he praised, “You’re handling it well.”

“And you’re overestimating me here,” I clarified, “If you’re the one to cut him, it takes all the fun out of it for me.”

“There’s my girl,” Daddy awed, “I was starting to worry about you.”

“It concerns me that my violent tendencies are what make you think everything’s ok with me.” Come to think of it, they’re all probably on break by now. I bet if I turned my phone on, it’d be going off like crazy. But I don’t want to deal with that…Not right now.

“Tell you what,” he gave me a nudge, “Why don’t we go get lunch, just you and me?”

“I am kind of hungry…”

“Besides,” he took my hand, leading me back to the elevator, “I know how you work. You eat your feelings, Rei.”

“You are not wrong,” I agreed, “Did you have something in mind?”

“What about that little ramen place you like uptown?” Oh, Daddy…I know you’re trying, but that’s not a good place for me right now.

“Not really feeling like ramen,” I shook it off, “I could do with a shit ton of Mexican food, though.”

“Oh, baby girl,” Daddy threw an arm around me, “Do I have just the place for you…”

“Where’s that?”

“There’s this food truck your uncles and I used to go to when we were just starting out,” Daddy remembered, “Oh, Reila…It was the absolute best…I haven’t thought about it in years. I’m pretty sure the lady who ran it retired, though. And her daughter took up the truck. But that was one of those places where you could go get a burrito the size of a newborn baby and a big ass horchata, slap a five on the counter, and still walk away with change. Abuela was the best…”

“Abuela?” I wondered, “Extended family?”

“Sort of,” Daddy nodded, “She was a sweet lady, too. I wonder if she’s still alive. Fuck, she was a hundred and ten when we were younger. And that was probably…twenty years ago? Yeah…Because I got involved with the Old Man three years before you were born. I got involved with the Old Man, I met Mama, we got married. Then, you came along.”

“You were only with the Old Man three years before I was born?” I gave him a look, “Really?”

“Yep,” he confirmed, the elevator opening up on our first floor, “A lot of life happened in those three years, though. Wouldn’t trade a second of it for the world. I miss those days.”

“What days?” Uncle Tony stood in the kitchen, digging in the fridge. 

“The good old days,” Daddy smiled, “Hey, do you know if Abuela’s food truck is still in operation?”

“I’m not a hundred percent sure,” Uncle Tony cranked his head back, “Ay, César!”

“Que?” Uncle César yelled back. Oh, it’s good to be home.

“Sigue existiendo el camión de comida de Abuela?”

“Creo que sí. Su hija tiene eso.”

“Gracias!”

“So, she does,” Daddy beamed, “That’s what I thought. Rei and I are going to get lunch. Don’t burn the place down, boys.”

“Didn’t plan on it,” Uncle Tony promised.

“I know you didn’t, Tony…” Daddy knew better, though. Daddy always said he could give Uncle Tony a glass of water and a couple minutes alone. We’d end up having to call the fire department somehow.

The two of us left my uncles alone and scoured Williamsburg for this one food truck. What Daddy failed to realize was that in a place like Williamsburg, every corner had a food truck on it. Finding his golden food truck won’t be easy. Or so I thought. Outside this little grocery store sat a bright green food truck. And I have never, in my near seventeen years on this planet, seen Daddy so fucking happy, “Hola, hermosa.”

“Daddy?” I worried, poking his shoulder, “Are you going to be ok?”

“I’m not sure,” he swooned, “If I broke down in tears right now, would you promise not to make fun of me?”

“No.”

“Hey,” Daddy shoved me, “Do you know how much Mama and I came to this food truck while she was pregnant with you? So much.”

“Mama, too?” I figured someone like Victoria would make sure her refined daughter wouldn’t dare eat food that came out of a food truck. She’s too good for that. But never too good for the street rat she fell in love with. 

“Oh, yeah,” he went up to the window, “Hi.”

“Hi,” the woman smiled. Only for her eyes to damn near fall out of her skull, “Oh my god…Frankie!”

“Arabella,” Daddy awed, “Look at you…”

“Look at you!” she gasped, “How are you? I haven’t seen you since Vanessa was pregnant!”

“It has been a while…”

“Clearly,” she gushed, glancing over Daddy’s shoulder, “Who’s this?”

“The one Vanessa was pregnant with,” he threw an arm around me, “This is Reila. Rei, this Ari. She’s a peach.”

“Pleasure,” I gave her a nod.

“You, too,” Ari seemed sweet. And…Well…She was one of the first to feed me in a way. I can’t be too mad at her, “So, Frankie, what can I get you?”

“Ari…” Daddy stared a hole through her, “Has my order ever changed as long as you’ve known me?”

“Valid point.”

“Make it two,” he ordered.

“Can do,” she agreed, “Seven even.”

“Shit…” Daddy felt his pockets, “Rei, you got any cash on you?”

“Yeah,” I rolled my eyes, paying for lunch, “Pain meds got your head fuzzy?”

“A little.” Alright. I can let that one slide. He grabbed our horchata from the window, “Here, princess.”

“Thank you,” I missed horchata. Not something I could really find in Japan. Fuck, it’s good to be home.

“Here, Frankie,” Ari handed him two silver bundles of joy, “Come around more often. I’ll tell Mama you send your love.”

“Abuela’s still alive?” Daddy chirped, “Absolutely send her my love!”

“She’s only ninety, Frankie,” she giggled, “She’ll outlive us all, you know.”

“That’s for damn sure,” he gave her one last wave and we took off again. Oddly enough, we ended up on the front stoop of an older building up the block. I…I had to ask.

“Daddy,” I wondered, indulging in this beautiful burrito. Holy shit, this was wonderful. Next time Ri…Never mind, “Of all the places we could sit and eat in this area, why are we here?”

“Feeling nostalgic,” Daddy admitted, “You see this building, Rei?”

“Yeah…Kind of shitty, if you ask me.”

“Reila…” he gave me a little swat, “I used to live in this building. Me, your uncles, and Abuelita. A piece of shit two bedroom apartment. But look at us now. Your uncles are at our penthouse in a much nicer part of Williamsburg. Abuelita has a beautiful villa in Barcelona.”

“Not that the trip down memory lane isn’t nice,” I told him, “But is there a point?”

“Things were shitty for a while,” Daddy put his arm around me, “But with a little time, they got better. And you will, too. The shit with Ritsu will work itself out. Don’t worry.”

I love this man. The only one who could never break my heart, “Thanks, Daddy.”

“I love you, sweetheart,” he kissed the top of my head, “Hey, I was thinking. You want to go see Mama before we head home?”

“You think I could go see her by myself?” I winced.

“Of course, baby,” Daddy left me alone, “I’ll see you back at home, ok?”

“Ok.” If anyone could help me get my head on straight, it’d be Mama. Daddy helped. Daddy helped a lot. But something about talking to Mama put me at ease. I walked back to the cemetery alone. Hi, Mama…It’s been…Eventful, to say the least. The boy I introduced you to? I don’t think we’re a thing anymore. Someone tried to kill Daddy. Shit’s been miserable, Mama. I could really use a hug…

“Rei!”

What the hell?

“Rei!”

“Rei-chan!” No fucking way…

I turned my head and noticed not one, not two, not three, but seven bodies waiting for me. Probably the seven faces I could stand to see the most outside of any family. Well…I couldn’t really say outside of family. Over the course of the last year and a half, they’ve practically been my family. And as exhausting as they can be, as exasperating as they can be, as much as they lack any sort of boundaries, I’m so fucking happy to see them. Without another thought, I threw my arms around all of them. And I didn’t care. I was in the middle of the greatest group hug I so desperately needed. You sent them for me, didn’t you, Mama? You knew how badly I needed this. Thank you. 

“Wow, Rei,” Hikaru wondered, “We weren’t expecting to see you in a cemetery.”

“At least you’re on the living end of it,” Kaoru shrugged.

“Who were you here to see?” Tamaki asked nervously. Fuck, they know. Of course they know. That’s a Kyoya thing. Kyoya knows everything.

“Who else?” I scoffed, “I went to go see my mom. It’s not like I’d be here to see Daddy. You guys just missed him.”

“So,” Haruhi crossed her fingers, “He’s ok?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, “Daddy’s alright. It’s going to take a hell of a lot more than just a gunshot to take him out. He’s lucky, though. A few inches higher and he probably would’ve been gone. What the hell are you guys doing here?”

“We came to see you,” Honey attached himself to my leg. Not that I’m complaining. I couldn’t be mad at that sweet little face.

“Then,” Hikaru and Kaoru treaded lightly, “What was going on with you and Kas…”

“Nope,” I cut them off, “That’s not a rabbit hole I’m ready to go down quite yet. We’re not doing that. But it’s starting to kind of get a little too cold here.”

“You know, Rei,” Tamaki draped an arm around my shoulders while Mori looked me over. He was one of the few people that I could solely communicate with in glances. We had a system. But I shook my head a little. And I saw his heart shatter in his eyes, “We’ve never seen your house.”

“We’ve never even seen New York, Tama-chan,” Honey pointed out.

“He has a point, Tamaki,” Kyoya agreed.

“Fine,” I groaned, “Come on. You guys might as well come to my house.”

“Yay!”

I love you, Mama…Thank you.


	39. A Queen Needs No Coronation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, lovelies. I’m…So tired. I’m so tired. Not dealing with people outside of the internet today. But anyway…Are we enjoying our little breather of relief? Good. Because…Well…We’re still breathing it. Just a good, old-fashioned day with the host club, right? 

“Daddy!” I walked into our penthouse with seven other bodies following me. I didn’t expect to be bringing them back, but I’m not mad.

“He’s not home, Rei,” Uncle Tony cranked his neck back, “He said he should be back later tonight.”

“Oh.” Where the hell would he be off to? I let it go, “What a shame. All my friends are in town.”

“So,” Uncle Tony figured, looking them all over, “What I’m seeing here are four, five, six sets of inattentive parents? At least?”

“Only for the sake of the plot, sir,” Kyoya assured him.

Clearly, that was a man who has never met Ranka Fujioka before. I’m not even his child and he’s bitched at me plenty. I can still remember the incident from the Viper Pit like it happened yesterday. Then, out of nowhere, Hikaru and Kaoru sandwiched me, “Is this really your house, Rei?”

“Yep,” I nodded, “Home sweet home. Complete with my Uncle Tony and Uncle…”

Huh…That’s weird. Honey took my hand, “Rei-chan? Is everything ok?”

“Uncle Tony,” I wondered, “Where’s Uncle César?”

“He left with your dad,” Uncle Tony went back to the TV, “After the last fiasco, he figured it’d be a good idea to take some back up with him.”

“I can’t blame him.” At least I know Daddy’s not going out without security. That’s weirdly comforting.

“It’s a shame,” Uncle Tony teased me, “Your dad’s not going to see how popular his daughter has become.”

“I’m not that popular,” I brushed him off, “If you need me, we’ll be on the roof.”

“Ok.”

“You can go to the roof, Rei-chan?” Honey gasped.

“Yep,” I brought them all to the elevator, “When I’m home, I go up to the roof all the time. It doesn’t matter what the weather’s like. I’ll gladly go up to my roof.”

The elevator emptied us out on the roof and I threw a match in the fire pit. That’s the thing about when I go to the roof in December. It’s cold as shit. Adapt and overcome. Simple as that. As soon as I sat down, I instantly felt better. A warm fire, my roof, and some of the best friends I’ve ever had in the greatest city in the world. This is it. And in that moment, I suddenly made the realization. For the first time in a long time, I’m finally home.

“Alright,” I had to ask. Because it was way too uncharacteristically quiet up here, “So, what are you guys doing here?”

“We were already talking about coming here, Rei,” Tamaki pointed out, “Remember? We were all having dinner in Osaka and I asked you what New York was like. So, here we are!”

“Tamaki-senpai,” Haruhi nudged him, “Don’t you think we should be honest?”

“We knew you’d need us, Rei,” Hikaru took it upon himself to do just that.

“Yeah,” Kaoru added, “After what happened in homeroom.”

“What did happen?” Haruhi asked, treading lightly, “You don’t cry, Rei. Ever.”

“Yeah…” There was something in my memories I’d love to forget, “I just got a phone call I would never wish on anyone. Even my worst enemies. It’s the fucking worst feeling in the world.”

“What was it?” Honey crawled into my lap.

“I got a phone call from Uncle César,” I hugged him tight. It’s almost as if he knew I’d need a little emotional support. Everyone should have an emotional support Honey. I highly recommend it, “He told me that my dad got shot. He was in the hospital for a couple days, but he’ll be ok.”

Without another thought, Mori nudged me forward and pulled me into his chest. I’m going to be totally honest here. I didn’t think I’d be sandwiched between Honey and Mori when I got out of bed this morning. But I’m sure as hell not complaining. Even more of a shock, I didn’t expect Mori to open his mouth. But no one ever does, “It’s alright, Rei. You needed to heal.”

“You know what?” I laid my heavy head on Mori. He makes a damn good pillow sometimes, “I’m glad I came here. Really, I am.”

“Are you going to come back to Japan, Rei?” Tamaki wondered.

That was a loaded question. The one everyone wanted answered, “I don’t know, Tamaki. I mean, I’d miss the shit out of you guys, believe it or not. No matter how many times a day I want to beat your asses into the ground. But in all seriousness…I don’t know.”

“Don’t leave us, Rei-chan,” Honey cuddled into me, “Please.”

Dammit, Honey. I hate that he knows how to use his potent brand of cuteness against me, “I wouldn’t be gone forever, Honey. I promise. I’ll just be home for a little while. That’s all.”

“Then, that’s how long we’ll stay!” Tamaki decided, “We’ll stay as long as you do, Rei.”

Oh, Christ…I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. Knee jerk said to throw up over the side of the building, but something in my heart said otherwise. It felt warm. And cozy. And I liked it. All I could do was shake my head at them, “You guys are something else. Did you know that?”

“Thank you!” Tamaki sang, “You know, we pride ourselves in being a little out of the ordinary.”

“It shows.” They’re exhausting, but dammit, it’s good to have them around. I couldn’t ask for better friends than this group of assholes…And Haruhi. I could never lump her in with the asshole category. She’s too wonderful. And she doesn’t quite fit the host club rhetoric. Still, I’ll keep her around, too. But in that moment, something in me snapped. I’m not sure what it was, but something just…clicked. If I had my boys and my best friend in town, I might as well show them why I loved home so much, “You know what? Fuck it. I’m done.”

“Done what?” the twins worried.

“I’m done wallowing,” I decided, “I’m done being pissy. I’m done being depressed and miserable. I need to do something to get me out of this. And I’m thinking we should go out tonight. Just us. No…No more thinking. We’re going out tonight. Tamaki, you didn’t have any plans for the club tonight, did you?”

“Not that I know of,” Tamaki looked to Kyoya, his usual voice of reason, “Kyoya? Do we have anything planned for tonight?”

Kyoya pulled his black book out of his pocket and did a quick skim, “No. We’re wide open for the duration, Tamaki. It’s all your call.”

“It’s all Rei’s call,” Tamaki handed over his power. I knew I’d be on top of this club one day. Daddy would be so proud, “Where are we going, Rei?”

“I’m not sure yet,” I hopped up from my chaise lounge, “But I do know one thing for sure.”

“What’s that?”

“Hikaru, Kaoru,” I ordered, “You two are with me.”

“Really?” they perked up, “Why?”

“Because I said so,” I needed this. That little surge of power felt good. I didn’t think Tamaki would ever fully get me, but a little transfer of power and I’m drunk, “Come on. Now.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“What about the rest of us?” Honey asked.

“You guys can do whatever you want,” I allowed, “I just need these two for a hot second, ok?”

“Ok!” I love him. Honey’s too sweet for his own good. And I adore him dearly.

I brought Hikaru and Kaoru into my bedroom and watched as their eyes fell out of their heads. I mean, I know my bedroom here and my bedroom in Japan weren’t all that different. The only difference was that this one had more neons in it. Sue me. I’m a sucker for neon lights. And when there are plenty outside like my penthouse in Tokyo, I don’t need as many inside. But this? I didn’t have a regular overhead light in my ceiling. My light switch turned on the different strips of LED lights around the room. 

“This is your bedroom, Rei?” Hikaru sat down on my bed.

“Yep,” I nodded, “This is my bedroom. My cozy piece of the world.”

“It looks like somewhere you’d have a rave,” Kaoru pointed out, “Not sleep.”

“You’d be amazed at the kind of vibe those neon lights give me,” I admitted, “It’s peaceful at night. It’s home. Now, you see that room over there?”

“Yeah…”

“That’s my closet,” I threw myself on my bed, “Go nuts.”

The two of them lit right the fuck up. I don’t know why I’d be surprised. And I think I might have created a monster, but I’m wrecked upstairs, so the more I can get these two to do for me, the better. Although, I think I may have caught them both off guard a bit. It was a lot of black, but the black wouldn’t be the shocker. It’s the material.

“Wow, Rei…” Hikaru gasped, “There is a _lot_ of leather in here.”

“It’s like looking in a sex shop,” Kaoru noticed, “Just without the toys.”

“I like leather,” I shrugged, “Sue me.”

“Would you look at this spicy little number?” Hikaru pulled out a deep purple dress that I haven’t seen in…Well…Almost a year. The sudden ache in my chest was not doing me any favors.

“That was what I wore for my sixteenth birthday,” I gushed, a hint of melancholic nostalgia in my voice, “That was a fun night. Despite everything that happened after.”

“You should wear this tonight,” Hikaru tossed my dress at me.

“No,” I shook my head, throwing it back, “This one has too many memories on it. And those are memories I’m trying to forget tonight. Bad idea. Try something else.”

“Um…” Kaoru blushed, “Hey…Hikaru…”

“What?” Hikaru glanced over his brother’s shoulder, slowly turning the same color, “Oh…”

“What?” I didn’t like the feeling in my stomach. If they found something they weren’t supposed to…What would it even be? I kept my bat under my bed. My knives were in my nightstand. I didn’t have a handgun. Daddy kept those in his safe in his office. That wasn’t even in our house. And I didn’t have anything objectionable. So, what the fuck could they have found?

“You know, Rei,” Hikaru explained, “It takes a lot to make _us_ blush.”

“Why do you have a bondage harness in your closet?” Kaoru asked, holding it out to me. It wasn’t a bondage harness, for the record. It was just a black leather top I had with a few cuts taken out of it. However, I could see where they were coming from.

“That’s…” I giggled, “Oh, you two are adorable. That’s not a bondage harness. It just looks like one. Daddy doesn’t even know I have that one. He’d probably kill me for something like that. Wearing it by itself anyway. That’s what I’ll wear tonight. But we need to class it up a little bit, so I don’t look like I’m looking for a hot piece of ass for the night.”

“But isn’t that what tonight is all about?” Kaoru figured.

“Not exactly,” I clarified, “I just wanted to go out and have fun with my friends.”

“While reeling from your breakup with Kasanoda,” Hikaru pointed out.

“No,” I instinctively reached for my nightstand drawer, but I stopped myself. I didn’t want blood all over the place. My knives go unsatiated today, “We’re not going to bring Ritsu into this. We’re not even going to think about him. And no, you don’t get to ask questions.”

“That’s no fun,” they groaned simultaneously.

“If that’s the case,” Hikaru started.

“What are you wanting out of us?” Kaoru asked.

“Class up that top,” I requested, “I got jackets coming out of my ass in there. I’m sure you can find at least one. I need something that’s very femme fatale. Give me something that looks like I just brutally killed a man and came back in the time it takes me to redo my lipstick. And yes, I have no problems with heels. The higher, the better.”

“Yay!” I think I’ve created a pair of monsters, but hell, it’s making them weirdly happy. I’ll let them have it. As long as they don’t ask about why I’m going into obvious break up mode.

“Alright, boys,” I pushed myself up from my bed, “You two play nice in my closet. I’ll be back in a little while.”

“Where are you going, Rei?” Kaoru stuck his head out of my closet.

“Out,” I wasn’t going to spoil the surprise like that. Besides, I didn’t want to run the risk of them following me either. I wanted to go somewhere I could be completely by myself and a hundred percent at peace. And I knew one place I could do that. I am home after all. What would a trip home be without it?

I hopped into a cab and took it to a beautiful white building I knew all too well. One that I missed terribly. Particularly one person in it. It’s only four o’clock. It’s not like it’s going to be closed yet. When I walked up to the front counter, the same dark haired bitch that tried getting a handful of what used to be mine stood with fear in her eyes. I like that fear. She doesn’t need to know it’s no longer warranted, but still…The sadist in me is quite content.

“Miss Mendoza…” she gasped, “Hello. I didn’t know you were scheduled today.”

“I’m not,” I settled her, “Relax, honey. I’m not here to start or break up a fight. I just need to know if Rosco’s here today.”

“Rosco went home about an hour ago,” she cringed, “I’m so sorry. If you’d like, I can set you up with someone else.”

“No,” I shook my head, “Rosco knows where my pressure points are better than anyone else. If it’s not Rosco, I want no part of it. But maybe there is one other thing I could use.”

“Name it.” My, my. Someone was eager to please. Who was I to turn her down?

“Do you have any stylists that aren’t currently busy?”

“Let’s see,” she checked the computer, “One. For the next hour. Why?”

“I’ll take that hour slot,” I decided, “Who is it?”

“Maxwell,” she told me, “Would you like your robe, ma’am?”

“No, thanks,” I shot her down, “Take me to him.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

It’s weird. I’ve never been in the salon part of this place before. Any time I’d go here with Mama, it’d always be for a mani-pedi and maybe a massage. And I never deviated after she died. I never really got to know any of the stylists, but I just hope to all things holy, unholy, and purgatorial that Maxwell is worth a shit. If he’s not, someone’s head is going to be rolling. But then, I saw him. He had to be at least six and a half feet tall and one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen. This mother fucker took care of himself and I think I love him.

“Maxwell,” she nudged me forward, “You have a walk-in.”

“Ok.” And his voice…Oh my god…I just wanted to hear him talk some more. It’s like velvet. This is needed. Oh, yes. This is sorely needed. This was a damn good idea, Rei. Damn good idea, “Hi. I’m Maxwell.”

“Reila…” I tried to hold back a swoon, but I just couldn’t. He made it too damn difficult. Holy fuck, dude.

“Reila,” he smiled, melting me to my core, “Why don’t you sit down and talk to me for a little while?”

“I’d love to,” I fell into his chair.

“Now,” Maxwell put a hand to my cheek, “What can I do for you?”

Focus, Rei. You came here for a specific reason. But because that specific reason isn’t here, you need to come up with a secondary reason for being here. And even though Maxwell made it very easy to lose track, you need to come to again, “I want the blue in my hair gone.”

“Ok,” he nodded.

“And…” I added, “Maybe an inch off the bottom.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Maxwell’s dark brown eyes were absolutely hypnotic. Again. Rei. Focus, “And I want you to answer me honestly.”

“Ok,” I allowed, “What is it?”

“Did you just recently go through a major life event?” he asked, “New job? Just move? Breakup?”

“Um…” I bit my bottom lip, “In a way…All three.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” Maxwell awed, “I’m simultaneously happy to hear that and sorry…”

“No,” I shook him off, “I don’t want pity. Not for that.”

“Tell you what,” he put a hand on my shoulder, “How about I go get some bleach and we’ll talk about it, ok?”

“Ok.” I needed to be put back to factory settings and I had a feeling Maxwell and I were about to become very close. 

“Did you have a specific color in mind?”

“Um…” I thought it over for a minute, “Surprise me. I don’t care. Anything not natural.”

“I like you, Reila,” Maxwell smiled, “I’ll be right back.”

Oh, yeah. Her Majesty is out for blood and ready for a comeback. 


	40. Mommy Needs a Drink

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, babes. You may need a snack for this one. It’s a long one. But it’s worth it. Also, the chapter title? Highly appropriate. Even for me. Particularly now and it’s fucking noon. But I digress. And I’m just going to go on record here. Sometimes, Reila needs a mommy. Sometimes, it’s not always the most conventional mommy, but whatever works. K, love you, bye! x

Alright. Maxwell can stay. Maxwell can definitely stay. If not because of him being the beautiful creature he is, because of him being a hell of a shoulder to…totally not cry on. I did not shed one single tear in that chair. Because Daddy always said assholes weren’t worth the tears. That asshole in particular. But I remember when he was my asshole. No. Reila. Don’t do that to yourself. Don’t tear yourself up inside because you don’t need that stress. You’re under enough already.

But Maxwell. He may end up in the regular rotation of people I see when I’m in town. I needed to call Rosco later and gush. You hid him from me, you dick. And all because Rosco wasn’t here when I needed him. However, one little gripe. Apparently, it’s easy to mix up the bright, blood red dye with the hot pink dye, so once the blue was gone, it turned a bright ass shade of pink. Honestly, though? I was feeling it. Black and hot pink always worked well together. I’m not complaining. 

Although, the weird part came after I jumped out of Maxwell’s chair. Despite being incredibly depressed when I came in here and in desperate need of getting back to ok again, I was nearly a hundred percent again. And it only took an hour in here. Yeah. He’s getting put into regular rotation. I wonder if he’s down for house calls. I bet if I asked him nicely and bat my eyelashes at him, he might actually agree to it. But when I bounced out of his chair, without another thought, his arms were around me.

“I’m glad you came in here today, Reila,” he hugged me tight, “I’m sorry it had to be under these circumstances, but you’ll be ok. I promise. You seem resilient.”

“I wish I felt it,” I fell into his chest. His…Incredibly rock solid chest…Goddamn, Maxwell, what don’t you have? 

“No, no, no,” Maxwell lifted my chin up to his face, “I don’t want to hear that. You are, Reila. You are strong and wonderful and resilient. And if you don’t mind me saying this, you’re not going to take a man’s shit as long as you live. Am I right?”

Ok. This guy was making a really good case for himself. I could hardly get the words out, “Yeah…”

“Come on,” he demanded, “I need a little more enthusiasm than that. Give me some confirmation.”

“Yes,” I grew a bigger pair.

“That’s my girl,” Maxwell kissed my head and walked me out, “Go on, Reila. You need a good night of fun. And dammit, you deserve it. Go on.”

“That was the plan!” It’s amazing. I was with the guy for an hour. He had me figured out. He had my problems reduced to almost nothing. And he made me cuter than hell. Oh yeah. The Queen is going to reclaim her crown. Her territory. Her home. The fight with Daddy had me hyped. The visit with Mama put me on the straight and narrow. Seeing Maxwell? That was the hot bath after a long day my soul needed. 

So, I poured my ass into the back of a cab and headed home. I knew the boys were going to have questions. Then, sneaking into my own house would probably be the best. Instead of taking the elevator to the first floor of the penthouse, I took it to the second instead. I needed to get into my bedroom undetected. Home sweet home. I noticed Hikaru and Kaoru left some clothes out for me on my bed. Aren’t they sweethearts?

And fuck, if they didn’t do a good job. My boys got me. They knew I had an appreciation for leather and they exploited it. God bless them. My bondage top, a pair of black leather pants, and my white leather jacket. A little monochromatic for my taste…Who am I trying to bullshit? I’m a slut for monochrome. Always have been and chances are, always will be. A little bit of color here and there wasn’t terrible, but the hot pink in my hair took care of that. But I told Hikaru and Kaoru to play up the femme fetale. I looked like a fucking assassin. 

It’s too bad they didn’t pick out any shoes for me, though. That’s alright. I might as well have a little input here. Let’s see. Heels…or boots…? I did have some killer platform boots that gave me six inches. But I also had a strappy pair of heels I loved so much. They were cute and looked like they came out of a crime scene. But it’s also Brooklyn in December. I’m going to have to give those a hard pass. What a shame. But then, I got to thinking about it. Am I really going to be outside in lines? Me? Is my last name suddenly not Mendoza? Even if I threw Mama’s name around, I sure as fuck wouldn’t be waiting in lines. Before Daddy took over for the Old Man, Victoria practically owned half this town. Then…Well…Daddy happened. And people respected him more than they feared her, so…We win.

Strappy heels, it is! It’s only me getting in and out of a limo (because, let’s be honest. God forbid the host club doesn’t ever travel in style) and into a building. A heated building. I’d be fine. You’ll live, Rei. Hang in there, kiddo. I’m counting on you. Even though I looked like I was out to find a man tonight (or out for blood, if we’re being honest), I really and truly just wanted to have a good time with my friends. Was that so terrible? Of course not.

I walked out of my bedroom and into the elevator. Once the elevator emptied out on the first floor, I reveled in the clack of my heels on the hardwood floor. Oh, yeah. The bitch is definitely back. That’s for damn sure, “Alright, boys. You ready yet?”

And as all of them turned to look at me, their jaws hit the floor. Except for Mori. Mori might have turned to stone. But if he had completely turned to stone, then why would there be a little blood trickling out of his nose? Aww…It reminded me of the early days of my relationship with…No. Just out to have fun with my friends. Nothing more, nothing less. But if Mori and I didn’t have the familial relationship we had going on, I might actually give him a chance. I mean, it’d be a total revenge fuck, but I couldn’t do that to him. I had a moral code. 

“My God,” Hikaru got up to look me over.

“You look amazing, Rei,” Kaoru gasped, in the same, sorry state as his brother.

“I know,” I nodded, “I look fucking incredible.”

“Yes, you do,” Tamaki managed to gather himself just enough to wiggle his way between the twins. He started pulling up the zipper on my jacket, “There. Perfect.”

“Tamaki,” I rolled my eyes, pulling my zipper down, “I’ll be fine.”

“You’re right,” he grabbed the zipper again and pulled it back up.

“Tamaki,” I growled, “It’s not like you’re covering anything up. Trust me. I’m fine.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he backed off. Good boy. It’s so nice when they listen.

“Alright, Uncle Tony,” I started heading out with the others following behind, “If Daddy asks, I went out with my friends. I’ll be back tonight. Love you. Bye.”

“Hold on, Reila,” Uncle Tony stopped me at the door. Shit…And his eyes grew four sizes too big…Fuck, “No te voy a dejar salír así.”

Shit…And I know I’m fucked when he’s pulling out old family tricks on me. Luckily for me, Uncle Tony is a massive pushover. I put on my big sparkly eyes and my big pouty lips and he’s fucked, “Por qué no, Tío?”

“Me estás cagando?” he chuckled to himself, “Tu papá me mataría.”

“Pero me veo linda…” I pouted, my head on his shoulder.

Instead, Uncle Tony let out a heavy sigh, “No digas que no te lo advertí.”

“Gracias, Tío,” I kissed his cheek, “Te amo. Hasta luego!”

“Te amo, kariña,” he sent me off on my merry way and I leaned against the back wall of the elevator.

And I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face, “Mamón…”

“Rei-chan,” Honey wondered, “What was that all about?”

“That was an old family trick at work,” I explained, “Every time we’d need to have a private conversation, but we can’t manage private arrangements quickly, we start speaking to each other in Spanish. I learned it quickly. Don’t worry, Honey. It’s not you. Just me getting into a minor argument with my uncle. To give you the gist of it, he didn’t want me going out like this, but I managed to convince him otherwise. He’s a sucker for my cute little face. Most of the family is. Even Daddy wouldn’t have ridden me that hard about it. But like I said, no worries.”

“So, Rei,” Haruhi asked, “Where are we going tonight? We haven’t seen much of the city, so this is pretty uncharted territory.”

“You know what?” I thought it over, “I could use a life hug. And a drink. And there’s only one place in this town where I could score a drink. We’re going to my territory.”

“You have territory?” the twins looked at me strange.

“Aww,” I melted inside, “You guys are so cute when you forget who and what I am. Of course, I have territory. The Brooklyn Narrows. Or simply put, the Narrows. That, my dear friends, is my home. I grew up in the Narrows. Pretty much. It was kind of a shithole for a while, but that’s because it was mostly neglected. Then, I took over and…Now, it’s one of the best undercover spots in town. Back in the day, you couldn’t take a walk through the Narrows without catching something. And because of that reputation, that’s what keeps it an undercover spot. Once people realize the Narrows aren’t nearly as sketchy as what they used to be, it’s all over, but for now? It’s the best spot in town.”

I could gush for hours over the Narrows. I remember being five or six and running around the Narrows. Everyone knew who I was. And they knew better. Don’t fuck with Francisco Mendoza’s daughter. That’s when people end up missing. Or better yet, that’s when said people end up in the warehouse. That might as well be worse than a death sentence. Especially now that the little girl better left alone is all grown up and wicked with a baseball bat. Just don’t catch her in a bad mood. And she _might_ go easy.

Once we all got to the Narrows, I could see the spoiled rich kid souls float out of their bodies. That’s what separated them from me. Granted, I, too, was the spoiled little rich kid, but I also had the Narrows to ground me. I was spoiled, but I also knew where I came from. Well…Mostly where Daddy came from. And that’s what kept me in check. Daddy’s upbringing was considerably different from my own. Mama grew up in the penthouse. Daddy grew up on the streets. Then, there’s me…Who grew up on both.

When we got settled, I was weirdly proud of the way the boys came into their own. As much as their skin crawled when they walked in, Tamaki was already spinning on a barstool (while Kyoya kept him in line to the best of his abilities). The twins were dancing their little hearts out. Honey had found a cozy booth with Mori. Only one tough nut to crack. And this one was strangely difficult. Given what her father did for a living, I’d think Haruhi would be a little more comfortable in places like this. 

“Haruhi?” I gave her a little nudge, “You ok?”

“I don’t know, Rei,” she fidgeted a bit, “I didn’t think we’d be hanging out in a bar tonight.”

“This isn’t just some bar,” I assured her, “This is home.”

“This is your home,” Haruhi clarified, “I’ve never stepped foot in a bar before.”

“Seriously?” I looked at her strange, “Never seen your dad perform?”

“Have you?” she gasped.

“No,” I shook my head, “He’s seen me, though.”

“How?” Haruhi wondered, “You don’t perform anywhere.”

Oh, shit…Was this how that was going to come out? Well…I mean, it’s Haruhi. And I’d be surprised if Ranka hasn’t told her yet. But since the boys were in their own respective corners, I guess now would be as good of a time as ever, “Have you noticed I’ve been kind of tired in homeroom during the week?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, “Then, Kasa…Then, you’d get some coffee in you and you’d be fine.”

“Well,” I came clean, “I’ve also been working nights in Shinjuku. I work a few doors down from Ranka. And he’s already bitched at me for it, so please don’t waste the energy. Having Ranka take me over his knee was enough.”

“Why would I judge?” Haruhi let it go, “You’re making an honest living. But Rei…I thought you didn’t have to do that.”

“I wasn’t doing it for the money,” I went on, “I was doing it more so to keep an eye on Ritsu. But…Turns out I wasn’t watching him close enough. But that’s mess for another day.”

“What do you do?” she quickly changed the subject.

“I’m a dancer,” I sat at the bar.

Immediately, one of the bartenders recognized me and made a beeline. God, I love quick service, “Yes, Miss Mendoza. What can I get you?”

“Can I get a seventeen Hibiki?” I ordered.

“Um…” the bartender looked at me weird. Shit…I keep forgetting. I’m back home. It’s not like I can get Hibiki out of nowhere, “What’s that?”

“Never mind,” I brushed him off, “Gentleman’s Jack. Straight up.”

“Yes, ma’am!” he brought me a glass of whiskey and slid it across the bar. When I took my first drink, it didn’t hit like I hoped it would. It’s not the same…

“Hey, guys!” I called out to the boys, “What are the rest of you drinking?”

“Um, Rei,” Tamaki piped up, “We don’t…”

“Tamaki,” Kyoya cut him off, then turned his attention toward the bartender, “Can we get a bottle of your best merlot, please? Anything local is fine.”

That kind of caught me by surprise, “Thanks, Kyoya…”

“Never said it was for you,” Kyoya gladly took the bottle and started pouring, “But I’m not going to let you drink alone.”

“I didn’t know you drank at all, Kyoya-senpai,” Haruhi admitted, “Since when is that a thing?”

“Oh, Haruhi,” Kyoya awed, “You, of all people, should be able to understand. You only see a fraction of what I deal with day in and day out. Can you blame me?”

“Oh, hell no,” I shook my head, well aware of some of the bullshit Kyoya deals with.

“That’s why you don’t drink alone, Rei,” he raised his glass to me, “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to you alone.”

“No,” Mori snuck up out of absolute nowhere, sufficiently scaring the shit out of me.

“It’s alright, Mori-senpai,” Kyoya promised, “It’s nothing objectionable.”

“I’m not leaving her,” Mori stood his ground. I’m not surprised Mori’s protective of me. After the bullshit with Ritsu, no one’s going to know my current state of fragility better than him. Nor how to handle it. Right now, there’s a glass on the bar that’s going to help me handle it. But it’s nice to know I had back up. 

I slipped my hand into Mori’s, “I’ll be ok. Promise. If shit goes down, I’ll yell for you. Ok?”

I knew Mori didn’t like it, but at the end of the day, it’s Kyoya. What’s the worst he can do? Other than exploit my current depression. But at this point, it’s just two friends sharing a drink, “Alright.”

Mori went back to his booth with Honey and I started to question Kyoya’s motives. Tamaki had already taken Haruhi off to ease her mind. Hikaru and Kaoru were already getting into shenanigans of their own. Everything was fine. For the most part. As far as I knew, “Ok, Kyoya. You sent my guard dog away. You sent your bullhorn away. What do you want to know?”

“What exactly happened with you and Kasanoda?” Kyoya didn’t fuck around with foreplay. He just went in. And much like any other time when there’s no foreplay involved, it hurt at first. But nothing I can’t handle.

“You really want to go down that road?” I growled a bit, “Fine. Ritsu cheated on me. Some bitch named Sayori. It wasn’t Ritsu cheating on me that got to me. The fact I had to find out from his dad? That got to me. That pissed me off more than anything. And then, to find out my dad went into the hospital with a gunshot to the chest the next day was more on the shit cake I didn’t need. So, needless to say, I’ve been a little out of sorts for the last week. Excuse the fuck out of me.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Rei…” his voice softened. And holy shit, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think Kyoya’s become a real boy here. He noticed my whiskey was gone and hit me with some merlot. And he’s trying to make me feel better? What the fuck kind of weird timeline did I just walk into? Because I’m not sure we have the right Kyoya here. Still…I’d be lying if I said his sentiment wasn’t appreciated.

“Thanks, Kyoya…” I smiled a bit, but it didn’t last long. No. I’m not crying in front of Kyoya. He doesn’t need to deal with that, nor do I want to know how he’d deal with that. Pull it together, Reila. Pull it together, “Shit’s been hard, you know?”

“And you miss him,” he assumed, “Don’t you?”

Fuck…He backed me into a corner. But for once, I let him. Maybe it’s the whiskey getting to me. Maybe it’s the wine. Maybe it’s the fact that I needed to vent to someone and even though Maxwell was nice, Kyoya actually had perspective. It’s time I stopped holding shit in, “I do…I miss him so bad. I fucking hate myself for missing him, but I miss him, Kyoya. I miss him when I go to sleep and my bed doesn’t have the same warmth. I miss him when I wake up and his chest isn’t on my back. The whole flight here…If I wasn’t making peace with God about Daddy, I had Ritsu on the brain. Every time I’ve come home since I’ve lived in Japan, I’ve always had Ritsu with me. And this time? When I’d need him the most, he fucked me over and I had to go on my own. But you want to hear the really fucked up thing?”

“What’s that?”

“Daddy asked about him when I got to the hospital,” I remembered, an ache in my chest, “He asked me if Ritsu came. And I didn’t have the heart to tell him he wasn’t coming back.”

“Have you ever thought about winning him back?” Kyoya asked.

“I don’t beg,” I scoffed, “And I sure as fuck don’t beg at some asshole’s feet.”

“You also don’t cave so easily, Reila,” he argued, “I’ve known you for a while now and I like to think I’ve got a pretty good grasp on reading people. Especially you. You’re better than this. You know it. I know it.”

“I know,” I slinked down onto the bar. When did I ask for the ass chewing from Kyoya? Or the life advice? How’s he supposed to know what this is like? What our lives are like? He doesn’t come from what Ritsu and I do. We’re a whole different ballgame. Kyoya’s trying to place chess during a paintball match.

“If he were here right now,” Kyoya wondered, “What would you do?”

“Beat the ever-living shit out of him,” I said bluntly, “End of story.”

“Really?” If I were a little more sober, I’d think I saw a lightbulb turn on over Kyoya’s head, “Interesting.”

“Ok,” I jumped down from my barstool. Ok…I’m a little wobbly. But not too bad, “I’m going to go check in with my dad. It’s been a while since I’ve heard anything. I’m going to go give him a call.”

“Ok,” Kyoya sent me on my merry way.

I managed to get into the office and have a little peace and quiet. I did need to check in on Daddy and make sure he was alright. The fact he went out tonight had me worried, but Uncle César should be plenty to keep him safe. At least I hoped so. But still, it never hurt to check in. I know I worry too much, but in light of recent circumstances, I think my worrying is totally justified.

“Hi, baby.” It’s always a good sign when he answers right away.

“Hi, Daddy,” I let out a quiet sigh of relief, “Where are you?”

“I’m dealing with someone in the Narrows,” Daddy reported, “You’ve been through enough and I had a little fight in me. Thought I’d take care of this one.”

“Hey!” I squeaked, “I’m in the Narrows, too!”

“What are you doing down here?” he wondered, “You didn’t seem too interested when I left you.”

“My friends from Japan kind of jumped me at the cemetery,” I giggled a bit, “And I needed a drink. Like you said, I’ve been through some shit in the last week. I think I earned it.”

“Never said I was judging, Rei,” Daddy let me have that one, “Tell you what, princess…I’m in the warehouse whenever you’re ready. K?”

“Really?” I perked up, “I get to beat the shit out of someone?”

“That is your job, Your Majesty…” Just when I think I can’t love Daddy any more than I already do. What can I say? The man gets me.

“I’m on my way,” I beamed, “See you soon.”

“Love you, Rei.”

“Love you, too.”

Click.

Oh, I was all full of energy now. Whiskey kicked in. Wine kicked in. I got the world off my chest. Oh, I’m ready to beat a motherfucker with another motherfucker. I just hope my blackwood’s waiting for me. But before I go to the warehouse, I’m not going to leave the kids here with the sitter. My respect for the sitter went up a little bit tonight. I’m not going to do that to him. So, I might as well show them exactly who I am tonight. Might as well.

“Alright, kids,” I rallied them all, “Time to go.”

“Time to go?” Hikaru whined.

“It feels like we just got here,” Kaoru followed suit. And if they keep that shit up, I’ll line them up like a fucking Newton’s cradle. 

“Where are we going, Rei-chan?” Honey asked. By the looks of it, he was ready to call it a night. Poor baby must be jetlagged.

“I just got off the phone with my dad,” I told him, “And Her Majesty needs to go handle business. Now, you guys can wait outside…Unless you want to see how I handle it.”

“I do,” Kyoya admitted, “For strictly educational purposes, of course. You genuinely fascinate me, Reila. And I’m sure watching you handle business in the way only you could might be an excellent learning experience. Wouldn’t you agree, Tamaki?”

“I have a certain image of Rei in my mind,” Tamaki winced, “I don’t want that tainted.”

“Tamaki,” I reminded him, “When we first met, I damn near beat the shit out of you.”

“But you didn’t.”

“You cried,” I rolled my eyes, “Where’s the pride in that?”

“I’ll go,” Mori agreed, a hint of a smile on his face.

“Really?” I got even more excited, “Finally ready to see me go all out on someone, Mori?”

“Yeah…”

I love my friends. But even Haruhi shared Tamaki’s sentiment, “Maybe we shouldn’t watch you handle business, Rei. That might not be something we should see.”

“Relax, Haruhi,” I groaned, “I’ll be fine. And so will you guys. It’s not like I’d ever use this on any of you unless you had it coming. But as much of a hairline trigger as I got, it takes a lot to truly piss me off. To land yourselves in the Narrows anyway. I’ll have Mori as backup and Kyoya as a curious shadow. I told you this was going to be a fun night.”

“If you say so.”

And so, we all headed down the street and into the warehouse. Mmm…The smell of blood and anguish. I _am_ home. Fortunately, we were greeted so nicely at the door. And I melted inside. It’s good to know he’s still ok, “Hi, Daddy.”

“Hi, baby girl,” he kissed my cheek. But then, he noticed the shadows behind me, “Um…Reila…? Care to explain what’s going on here?”

“This is Kyoya and Mori,” I reminded him, “You’ve met before. When I take the family, I’d love to have these two at my side, but Mori said no and I have a feeling Kyoya would try to usurp me. So, they’re just here to watch.”

“Alright,” Daddy let them have their fun, “Whenever you’re ready, your Burmese blackwood is in the office.”

“Thank you, Daddy!” I love him. 

“Rei,” Kyoya wondered as he and Mori followed me like lost puppies. Aww…Aren’t they cute? “Can I ask you something?”

“Ask all you want, Kyoya,” I allowed, “This is your one shot you get to ask all the questions you could ever want to know the answers to. I’m the right amount of buzzed and the right amount of hyped. Go ahead.”

“What is your Burmese blackwood?”

“My Burmese blackwood is my everything,” I found the case on the desk and popped that bitch open, “Hello, gorgeous.”

“A baseball bat?” Kyoya peeked over my shoulder.

“Yep,” I gave it a little spin, “This beauty right here is why I could kick the shit out of Mori in kendo.”

“Cheater,” Mori shot me a quick glare.

“And why do you call it a Burmese blackwood?” I’m surprised Kyoya’s not taking notes.

“Because that’s what the wood it’s made out of is called,” I explained, “It’s one of, if not the hardest wood in the world. I used to have a simple oak bat, but the Burmese blackwood is so much nicer.”

“Then, why wouldn’t you go with a metal bat, if you’re looking for something harder?”

“I don’t like the way metal bats feel in my hand,” I shrugged, “Besides, more often than not, they’re hollow. This beauty is solid. More force. More weight. More injury.”

“Interesting…”

And the feeling of my blackwood made me feel all good inside. I missed you, sweetheart. What do you say? Let’s go get some rage out. Let’s see what you look like covered in blood, yeah? I bet you’re very pretty. It’s not like you’re not already. Just a little something, something to add to you. Come on. You deserve a little taste of blood tonight. When I actually got into the warehouse, the lighting was much better. And Daddy got a better look at me.

“You’re awfully cute tonight, Reila,” he gushed, “You get your hair done recently?”

“A few hours ago,” I melted inside, “It’s cute, huh?”

“It suits you, baby girl,” Daddy gave me a nudge, “But you’re always cute. Now, go ahead. Go play nice.”

“That was not the plan,” I had the biggest, sadistic grin on my face. And I was ready. Beyond ready. Until I noticed who was already bruised in the middle of the floor. And I didn’t like it. The grip on my bat started to loosen, “…Ritsu?”


	41. ANSWER ME!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. Let's talk. A little bit here. So, you're asking me, Lumi, why is this going up on a Friday night instead of Thursday like it normally does? 
> 
> So, for those of you who don't follow me on Twitter, my laptop Ralph has been giving me problems since I took it out of the box. And yes, its name was Ralph. But on Wednesday, Ralph had his last hiccup that turned into him choking and he is no longer. And now, we're here. With Roy. No, not that Roy. Not story Roy. It's been a while since we've seen Roy. He's been busy planning a wedding. That was Rei's intention. But yes. My new computer's name is Roy and I love him. Hopefully, Roy won't do me dirty. But here. Have what was supposed to come out yesterday. Love you x

What would I do if Ritsu was in front of me? Already beaten, bloody, bruising, possibly broken in various places. Why did I ever drop the blackwood? He wasn’t done yet. Because I did tell Kyoya exactly what I’d do if Ritsu was in front of me. And here he is…At my feet. The sight broke my heart. However, the asshole at my feet broke my heart worse than anyone ever has. This was damn near Victoria levels of heartache and betrayal. It’s time the queen showed her true colors. Ritsu did. Why not me, too?

“Rei…” Ritsu coughed a time or two, his mouth full of blood. Any other day, this would kill me. Today? It’s kind of turning me on. It’s a shame Ritsu had me so pissed. A good, old-fashioned hatefuck could put me back on an even kilter, “Please…Listen to me…”

And SWING!

My bat met Ritsu’s shoulder, effectively knocking him over. But he didn’t make a single peep. Oh, come on…Make it fun for me…Even though this was quickly losing its appeal. This started being less hot and more infuriating. I’ve fought Ritsu a million times. And even when we were playfighting, he’d be defensive. But this? This wasn’t right. Because if he didn’t have me pissed off enough, this was only making things worse for him.

SWING!

This time I got him in the ribs. I knocked the wind out of him, but he didn’t move. The toe of my heel went into his stomach, but he was still unmoved. He kept taking hit after hit without even bothering to defend himself. What the fuck? No. I’m not letting this happen. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and drove my other fist into his face. He still didn’t even bother to defend himself. Something in his eyes…I looked into those eyes a million times. Got lost in them every time. And I thought I had seen them in all their many forms. Except for this. This was new. I couldn’t place it. But it just pissed me off more.

“Why won’t you fight me?” I snapped, glaring into his soul.

Ritsu wouldn’t even look at me. And he wouldn’t even say anything, setting my blood to a high fucking boil.

“ANSWER ME!” my scream echoed around the warehouse. It wouldn’t surprise me if it got around the Narrows. Possibly even the whole town. I didn’t fucking care anymore. I just wanted a fucking answer.

“I hurt you enough, Rei…” Ritsu could hardly speak, “I don’t want to hurt you anymore. You don’t deserve that.”

I wanted nothing more than to get one more swing on him. With my bat, with my fist, who fucking gives a shit anymore? My head was at war with my heart. On one hand, I wanted to feel Ritsu’s bones shatter in my grasp. But on the other hand, I wanted to kiss all of his aches and pains better. And then, he had to go and say some sweet, beautiful bullshit like that. Who the fuck does this asshole think he is? Fucking prick. 

I got down on the floor next to him, still seething inside, my voice hardly above a whisper, “Who’s Sayori, Ritsu?”

“She’s…” Ritsu went into a coughing fit.

As much as I didn’t want to show him a single scrap of kindness, I needed answers more, “Mori?”

“Yeah, Rei?” Mori broke the tense silence.

“I want you to go into the office,” I requested, “Go into the fridge and get a bottle of water please.”

“Sure,” Mori disappeared for a brief moment and came back, tossing the bottle to me.

“Thank you,” I handed it off to Ritsu, “Here.”

“Really?” Ritsu wasn’t sure what to think, but much like the first time Ryoichi gave me something to drink, Ritsu listened for the seal to break. Then, once he was sure it was safe (because I’m apparently not above poisoning him at this point. No. I wouldn’t. Don’t look at me like that. I don’t care how pissed off I am at him, I wouldn’t wish poisoning on anyone.), he slammed it like there was no tomorrow. Ritsu tossed the empty bottle aside and caught his breath, “Thank you…”

“Now, answer me,” I growled, “Who…The fuck…Is Sayori?”

“She’s…” Ritsu winced.

“Say it, Ritsu,” I snarled.

“She’s my…” he braced himself, “Fiancée…”

“How long?”

“I…” Ritsu caught his breath, “I met her in Okinawa.”

Our moment in the hall outside the music room flashed in my head. The one time before this I ever saw him so broken, so defeated, so hurt…Back when I cared, “Did you know her before that?”

“No…”

I didn’t want to beat the shit out of him if he wasn’t going to fight back. What’s the point? But I took a couple breaths to calm myself down. Even in my moment of sheer anger, frustration, and heartache, I knew there was one person in that room I could always turn to for guidance. No matter what, “Daddy?”

“Yeah, baby?” Daddy was strangely calm through this. But I’m thinking that’s one of those side effects from his pain meds. They have made him weirdly lethargic.

“Dare I make the same mistake twice and trust him?”

“Do you want my honest opinion?” he asked.

“Please.”

“I think you should hear him out,” Daddy suggested, “But that’s just me. After you hear him out, then you can do with him what you will.”

“Alright,” I couldn’t turn down Daddy’s advice. Besides, he did say I could do whatever I wanted with him afterward. So long as I hear him out first. Alright. I could do that, “Do you think we could have a moment alone?”

“Are you sure you want to do that, Rei?” Daddy worried, “We don’t need you going in for murder tonight.”

“I’m sure,” I promised, “I won’t kill him.”

“Good girl,” he kissed my cheek, “We’ll be waiting outside. Let me know when it’s ok for us to come back in.”

“I will,” I loved that man. He knew how to calm me down, “Besides, why would I kill him when I could just beat the shit out of him some more?”

“Reila…”

“I know, I know,” I rolled my eyes, “Don’t give the new guys more to clean up than they need to.”

“That’s my girl,” Daddy gave me a little pop to the chin and brought Kyoya and Mori outside with him.

“Alright, Ritsu,” I went into the office and grabbed some water for myself. Ooh! There’s Gatorade in here! And if anyone says anything other than blue is the best flavor, they’re lying. I sat back down on the floor, “Talk. What the fuck?”

“It’s not what you think,” Ritsu swore, “I wouldn’t cheat on you. I know better than that. Sayori and I…It’s arranged. I didn’t have a say in it. And neither did she.”

“What do you mean?” I understood what an arranged marriage was, but I needed context.

“When I proposed to her…” Fuck, that stung. Could’ve gone the rest of my night without that, “I had a fucking gun to my head, Rei. That was one of those things that happened in Okinawa that fucked me up so bad when I came back. She comes from a big yakuza family, too. And if we had a hold of their territory, we’d be unstoppable.”

“You still could’ve said no,” I argued, “You could’ve had the fucking stones to stand up to your dad. You could’ve told him you had a girlfriend already. You could’ve told him to fuck off. But you didn’t.”

“I didn’t mean that whole gunpoint thing figuratively,” Ritsu went on, “It was literal. It puts a different spin on a shotgun wedding. Only this time, I didn’t get her pregnant.”

“YOU FUCKING BETTER NOT HAVE!”

“I haven’t even touched her,” he promised, “She’d probably punch me for something like that.”

“I already have so much in common with her,” I finished off my Gatorade, “We’re already sharing a boyfriend. And now, we’d both beat the shit out of you for touching her. I can see why you’re engaged to her. And we both know you have no fucking spine when it comes to your prick dad.”

Ritsu got quiet…Scarily quiet, “Would you say that to Mom?”

Ok…Ritsu’s said some hurtful shit here, but this is the first time it hurt differently. He knew what kind of relationship I had with Kiyomi and how we’ve weirdly clicked. He knew I would never wish harm on that woman ever, “What did you say?”

“Mom stood up to him once,” his voice shook, “You have no idea what that collateral damage was like. She lost me…I lost her. We still have to sneak around because of him. I know I’ve already told you this, Rei. Back home, it’s not the same way it is here.”

“Because here,” I grumbled, ready to drill my fist into his face again, “We never would’ve made you choose.”

“Rei…” Ritsu could hardly talk. And he better choose his next words carefully before my fist goes into his throat instead, “I love…”

“Don’t,” I cut him off before he could get any more of that off, “Don’t you fucking say that. If you did, you would’ve told me. You know you could’ve told me. Especially if you didn’t have a say in it. You know damn well we would’ve figured something out somehow. We always did.”

“I didn’t even want to think about it,” he stared into the floor, “Like I said…I had a fucking gun to my head. If I didn’t, my brains would’ve painted the walls. And I remember making a promise to someone I care about very much that I’d come back in one piece. I had enough on my plate. I didn’t want to burden you with that, too. We had that trip to Osaka coming up and that was all I wanted to think about. Just a quiet weekend with you. A little time alone with you…Just the two of us.”

I moved in closer, my heart growing heavier by the second. Something needed to get that shit out of me. So, what do I do? Nothing like a good, old-fashioned pimp slap to get that shit out of me, “You do realize you royally pissed me off, right?”

“Because the chipped tooth in the back of my mouth and the dislocated shoulder didn’t give that away,” Ritsu nursed the sting on his cheek.

“Do you want that tooth missing instead of just chipped?”

“I know,” he backed off, “And I understand. Why do you think I didn’t fight you back? Because I deserved every second of that. You should’ve seen what your dad did.”

“I saw the aftermath.” And I had a feeling Daddy was behind it. He was way too mellow when I showed up. After someone wronged his baby girl, there’s no way he was going to let that go unpunished, “That was enough for me. He went easy on you.”

“How the hell do you figure?”

“You’re still breathing.” I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t help myself. This boy has beyond pissed me off, but…I needed it more than him. I curled up in Ritsu’s lap, nuzzling my face in his uninjured shoulder, “I still fucking hate you.”

Slowly, but surely, Ritsu’s good arm snaked around my waist, holding me as best as he could, “I love you, too…”

“Reila?” Daddy stuck his head in the door, “Is everything alright? You need anything? A drink? A snack? An ambulance?”

“We’re good, Daddy,” I nodded, “I mean, we’re not _good,_ but for the most part, things were discussed. Hey…Daddy?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“He stays with us tonight,” I decided, totally catching Ritsu off guard.

“Are you sure?” Daddy wondered, just as confused.

“Yeah,” I looked Ritsu over, “I’m sure. We’re going to go get dinner.”

“Alright,” Daddy let us go, “You sure you don’t need anything else?”

“Actually,” I thought, “You and Clara…How close would you say you two are?”

“Enough to where I could give her a call,” he smiled a bit, “Why do you ask?”

“Because taking Ritsu to the hospital would be too big of a pain in the ass,” I got up from Ritsu’s lap, “You think she could come by the house and at the very least pop his shoulder back into place?”

“You can’t do that yourself?” Daddy wondered, “One would think you’d want to feel that one.”

“No,” I shook my head, “I’ve put him through enough. I don’t need to put his shoulder in place, too.”

“Alright,” he pulled his phone out of his pocket, “You want to use the car?”

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll give Clara a call,” Daddy scrolled through his contacts, “When do you think you’ll be back?”

“Probably in an hour or so,” I thought it over, “So, do what you will with that information.”

“And I can trust you not to kill the kid while you’re gone?” he hoped.

“Yes,” I still had my knife on me if I was feeling spicy, though. I’m not going to kill him. For the most part, the murderous intent was out of my system. I helped Ritsu onto his feet. He staggered a bit. Surprise, surprise. I did just beat the shit out of him and God only knows what happened before I got here.

“Alright,” Daddy threw his arms around me, leaving a gentle kiss on my head, “I love you, princess. Be careful, ok?”

“I will,” I mellowed right the fuck out, “I love you, too.”

“Ritsu,” I waved him over, “Come on. Let’s go.”

“Coming…” Ritsu limped over, taking his sweet ass time. No…Rei…Let it go. Yeah, you got pissed and yeah, you took it out on Ritsu, but you know what kind of asshole Ryoichi is. You know Ritsu’s story is a hundred percent plausible. Just…Remember what it was like to sit and have dinner with your boyfriend. And he still is _your_ boyfriend. 

“Kyoya,” I stepped outside, “Take the kids back home. We’re done here. And you never saw what happened here.”

“Ok,” Kyoya wasn’t going to fight me. All my fight was out of me already, but he knew better. He’s seen what I’m capable of. 

Without another word, Mori’s arms went around me and he hugged me tight, “Are you going to be ok, Rei?”

“I will be,” I nodded, “Once I got a full belly.”

And that’s when it dawned on me. When Ritsu and I got into the car, I didn’t know what I wanted to eat, but in that brief second…I knew exactly what I wanted.

“Where to, Miss Mendoza?” the driver cranked his neck back, “The city is yours.”

“Red Dragon,” I ordered, “Thank you.”

I needed something gross and starchy that would feel like a hug. And I knew exactly what would do that. Personally, it’s a cure all for so many problems. Between this and anything Abuelita makes for me when I’m sick, the world would be a better place. And even though I was still angry about what Ritsu did, there is nothing a good bowl of ramen wouldn’t fix. It’s not going to be the same as our little ramen shop back in Japan, but welcome to America. This was as good as it was going to get. Anything that wasn’t top ramen. Fuck that…I’ve had the real thing. It’s hard to go back from that.

“You know,” Ritsu broke the angry silence between us, “Your dad got me pretty good, Rei.”

“I’ve fought him a few times, too,” I remembered, my heart warming from inside, “I know what it’s like. We just fought the other day.”

“How long has he been out of the hospital?” he wondered.

“A few days,” I looked at him strange, “How the hell did you know he was in the hospital? You’d think after breaking his baby’s heart, you two wouldn’t keep in touch like you once did.”

“I didn’t find out from him,” Ritsu smiled a little, “I found that out from you.”

“I never told you Daddy was in the hospital.”

“Reila,” he held his bruised face in his hands, “When you left school that day, all you had to say was it’s quiet uptown. I knew something happened. And you wouldn’t have been that upset if it wasn’t serious, so I figured it had to be Frankie.”

“He got shot,” I explained. Good…I was kind of hoping he’d get that, “It wasn’t pretty. For a minute, I really did think he was going to die.”

“But he didn’t,” Ritsu took my hand.

“No,” I held back a smile, “He didn’t. And Clara…”

“Yeah,” he took a good drink from his soda, “I was meaning to ask you about that. Who’s Clara? I got a feeling I’m going to meet her tonight, but it’d be nice to not go in totally blind.”

“She’s alright.” The conversation I had with Daddy about her ran through my head. Still not calling her my stepmom anytime soon, but I couldn’t hate her. Not even if I wanted to, “She was the nurse that took care of Daddy when he went in that night. He’s kind of got a thing for her. It’s actually kind of cute to see up close.”

“That’s sweet,” Ritsu awed, “Rei…I really am sor…”

“Nope,” I stopped him, “We’ll do that some other time. But for now, I’m exhausted. Let’s go back to my house, yeah?”

“Ok.”

“Hey, Ritsu?” I glanced over my shoulder.

“Yeah, Rei?”

“I still fucking hate you,” I smirked a bit.

“I love you, too…”


	42. For Catherine the Great

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, friends! So, a quick history lesson, Catherine the Great ruled over Russia around the nineteenth century, I think? She was a badass. You’ll learn more as we go on here, so enjoy this week’s chapter. Or as I like to call it, Lumi gushes over Catherine the Great through Rei for a hot second. Love you! x

As much as I loved going to the Narrows…As much as I loved going to visit Mama…As good as that food truck Daddy showed me was…There’s still no place like home. This penthouse would always be home to me. It’s where I grew up. It’s where my best memories are, both Mama and Daddy alike. And now, it’s where I take my beaten, broken, and bruised boyfriend, not boyfriend to get fixed up by Daddy’s possible new girlfriend. For now, she’s still the woman who helped save his life, so I had no room to hate her. And if shit smooths over with Ritsu, she fixed up my boyfriend, too.

Ritsu and I rode the elevator without a single word between us. He used me as a crutch, but that’s as close as we were going to get. But still, he felt the need to break the tense silence, “Hey, Rei…”

“What?” I grumbled, highly looking forward to my bed.

“It’s you and me in an elevator,” he pointed out, “What’s running through your mind right now?”

“That I’m exhausted, I want this day to end, and I want this throbbing headache to go away,” I shot him down. I knew exactly what he was trying to get at. We normally couldn’t keep our hands to ourselves in an elevator. But it’s weird what kind of a buzzkill lying to me about your arranged marriage is on my libido. It keeps that bitch in check.

“Oh…” And I think that message was more than received.

By the time we made it inside, I could’ve sworn I heard a woman’s voice. That was fast. I told Daddy we’d only be gone for an hour. I didn’t come home late. And with Ritsu in the same amount of pieces he was in when we left the Narrows. Everything was fine…As fine as it could be anyway. I was still a little hot from tonight, but I’m not going to be all smiles quite yet. Which made me curious. Exactly how long has Clara been here?

“Daddy!” I called into the living room with Ritsu limping behind me, “We’re back!”

“In the kitchen, baby girl!”

The second Ritsu and I walked into the kitchen, Clara shot out of her chair, her eyes the size of my fist, “Jesus Christ, Frankie! What did you do to him?”

“That wasn’t all me,” Daddy got defensive, “A lot of that was Rei. She can get kind of testy.”

“Kind of testy?” I looked at him strange, “Daddy…Come on. Give me some credit.”

“Yeah…” Ritsu agreed, slowly sitting down, “I wouldn’t call this kind of testy.”

“You know,” Clara admitted, “It’s not often I ever make house calls, but…Even when I do, they’re never this messy. Remind me to never fuck with you in a dark alley, Rei.”

“I’d say this is an eloquent reminder,” I assured her. Not that I would. I had no reason to. And next to Daddy’s word being law, that’s one of the family’s biggest rules. Don’t throw the first punch, but always throw the last. And never in cold blood.

“I told you what I did, Clara,” Daddy explained, “Sometimes, it can get a little messy. And this is what constitutes as messy.”

“What did he do?” she wondered, “I mean…That is, if you don’t mind me asking.”

“He pissed me off,” I stepped in, “That’s as far as that needs to go.”

“Ok,” Clara didn’t push. Maybe it was the state Ritsu was in that scared her off, but there was something else, too. Maybe she wouldn’t be the worst to keep around. Even if shit with Clara and Daddy doesn’t work out, maybe having her on hand when I take over in case one of ours gets banged up like Ritsu did would be a good idea, “So, what’s in places it shouldn’t be?”

At this point, Ritsu’s just lucky his balls didn’t end up in his throat. I wanted to, but I wasn’t going to be that heartless. Love him or hate him, speaking objectively, he needs to reproduce. He’s too pretty not to. But I digress. I didn’t remember much of the damage I did. Most likely because of the blind rage he put me in. However, that blind rage got focused. And it wasn’t pretty. 

“I’m pretty sure my shoulder’s out of place,” Ritsu explained, “My knees are all fucked up. My ankle on my right foot is fucked up. And there’s something not right in my left hand.”

“Well,” I kissed Daddy’s cheek, “I’m going to bed. It’s been a long ass day and I could use the sleep.”

“What?” Ritsu wondered, “You’re not staying here?”

“You’re a big boy,” I rolled my eyes, “I don’t need to be here to hold your hand.”

“Alright, baby,” Daddy wrapped his arms around my waist, “Good night.”

“Good night,” I managed a little bit of a smile, “And thank you for doing this, Clara.”

“Not a problem,” Clara smiled back, “But next time you think about doing this, go a little easier on him, maybe? This is going to take a few minutes to put back together.”

“I’ll think about it.” That was all depending on him. Hopefully, this would serve as a hell of a lesson in what to do when Ryoichi tries to meddle in our affairs. Even though I was still mad at him, it’s too bad Ritsu had to be the one to pay the price for it.

I took the elevator up to my bedroom and crawled into bed. When I said I’ve had a long ass day, I wasn’t lying. I did, in fact, have a long ass day. Gorging myself with Daddy early this afternoon, hanging out with the entirety of the host club tonight, meeting Maxwell, then beating the shit out of Ritsu on top of that? A bitch needs some sleep. It’s too bad it was freezing balls out tonight. I could stand a little quiet time on the roof. Well…As quiet as it could be anyway. They don’t call this place the city that never sleeps because it was a catchy slogan. Regardless, I pulled my blankets over my shoulders and shut my eyes. It wouldn’t take me much to fall asleep. 

Even though the thought of Ritsu being engaged made me queasy. Arranged, though…That was weirdly comforting. That meant there’s still hope. There’s still hope that he’s still mine. Hell, he wouldn’t even fight me back when we were in the Narrows. He knew he’d have some sort of punishment waiting for him when I find out. He just didn’t know how severe it’d be. But still, I had to admire him for taking it as well as he did. And yet, we could still look at each other from across the table at our ramen restaurant away from home. You need to get some sleep, Reila. Because tomorrow would likely drain the hell out of me, too. 

The next morning, I woke up and grabbed my phone off my nightstand. To no surprise, a couple of texts from the boys and a missed call. I didn’t have that kind of energy in me quite yet. Yet another Sunday morning. I pushed myself out of bed and started heading downstairs. Coffee. I needed coffee. I know we live in Williamsburg and a good cup of coffee is always a stone’s throw away, but I needed something closer. Something more…Readily accessible. And I knew where there was always a pot on.

I walked into the kitchen and got a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest. Daddy, Sunday paper…All is well, “Morning, Daddy.”

“Morning, baby,” Daddy put his paper down, “So…?”

“So…what?” I grabbed my usual cup from the cabinet. A bright green one I’ve had since…God, forever. I remember going into a secondhand shop with Mama and grabbing this. If we didn’t come out with that damn cup, someone’s head was going to be on a fucking pike. And Mama always had a hard time saying no to me.

“You doing ok?”

“Ok-ish,” I shrugged, “As good as I’m going to be. What about you? Pain meds still fucking with your head?”

“Not as bad as what they were,” Daddy reported, “The dosages were a little off, so Clara grabbed me something else.”

“Isn’t she a peach?” I took the empty seat across from him. The same one Ritsu had last night.

“Hey,” he nudged me under the table, “She fixed your boyfriend up, didn’t she?”

“I’m sure she did,” I let that one go, “I never doubted that.”

“The fixing part or the boyfriend part?” Dammit. I knew that’d be coming soon enough. Ever since they met, Daddy had a soft spot for Ritsu. The day Ritsu admitted to him that he was in love with me was the day Ritsu gained Daddy’s respect. Although, I’m sure the day Ritsu landed his ass in the warehouse was when all of it went out the window.

“Daddy…”

“Alright,” he backed off, “So, what do you got planned this morning?”

“For this morning,” I figured, “I have a feeling my friends are going to drag me out whether I want to go or not.”

“You know…” Daddy thought, “You should go. Have fun with your friends.”

“I came here to get away from them for a while,” I giggled to myself, “They’re really not that bad, but damn, they’re exhausting.”

“Or…” he went on, “If you don’t want to be with them…”

“Daddy…” I knew what he was getting at. And I had no doubt he’d love nothing more, “I know you got attached to him, but that’s not something I’m quite ready for yet. I need some time.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything about Ritsu,” Daddy lied through his teeth. One of the first things he ever taught me was to find someone’s tells. And when he starts picking at hangnails, he’s lying to me. He wants nothing more than for Ritsu and me to get back together. I could smell it, “I was going to suggest going to church this morning, but you had to get snip snappy with me.”  
  


“Seriously?” I looked at him strange, “Daddy, we only go to church when it’s either Christmas or Abuelita’s in town. What’s got you wanting to go now?”

“Really?” he mirrored me, “You don’t think we don’t have plenty to be grateful for? You don’t think there wasn’t some divine intervention bestowed on us recently? Me, in particular?”

“You’re not wrong,” I sighed out, “It’s been a while.”

“If you go,” Daddy bargained, “I’ll go.”

“I don’t know, Daddy,” I shook him off, “I appreciate the offer, but I’m going to have to pass.”

“Alright.” That was the thing with us. Ever since Mama died, Daddy understood that it might have shaken my religious convictions a little. And that walking into a church these days made me a tad queasy. And he’d never push me. Bless him.

“Well,” I got up from the table, “I need to be going.”

“Really?” Daddy wondered, “And where are you off to?”

“Ballroom,” I filled up a water bottle and finished off my coffee, “I need to clear my head for a while.”

“Alright, baby,” he let me go, “Be careful. Don’t hurt yourself. I don’t think Clara’s going to want to make too many more house calls unless they’re life and death after last night.”

“Speaking of last night,” I asked, “Where did Ritsu end up?”

“Second floor, first door on the left,” Daddy told me, “Far enough away from you?”

“Perfect,” I nodded, “You know where to find me.”

“Got it.”

I left Daddy at the table and went off to my sanctuary. I know I told Daddy that I wasn’t feeling up to church, but that didn’t mean my soul wasn’t feeling heavy. We had one place in the house where I could go to find peace. And that was in this ballroom. Bitterness still clouded my thoughts. I didn’t even bother putting any music on. I just needed to be in the air. No sound. No thoughts. Just…Quiet. I pulled myself up about fifteen feet in the air and hung there. I made myself a hammock and got comfortable. This was all I needed. The one place in the world I was truly at peace. If I’m not careful, I’m going to end up falling asleep up here. But I had too much caffeine surging through my body and nine hours of hard sleep. Still, I liked it up here. Nothing could hurt me up here unless I fell. And I had too good of a handle on this to fall. 

Quiet. Peace and quiet. I shut my eyes for a brief moment, taking in my bliss. Not that the quiet wasn’t sorely needed, but maybe I should put some music on. Quiet is nice. Silence is maddening. I slid down the silks and looked for a piano piece on YouTube. Nothing too fast, but nothing too slow. Just something to kill the silence. I found a playlist of nothing but Russian waltzes and let it play. Once I got back up to my original position, I lost myself again. Thoughts of a different ballroom ran through my head. Maybe an eighteenth-century ball. As the music played around me, Catherine the Great came to mind. 

She overthrew her asshole husband (and allegedly had him killed, but again…Allegedly. I like her style.) and went on to kick ass ruling over Russia? Who’s to say I couldn’t do the same? Who’s to say that I couldn’t take my boyfriend to the Narrows, beat the fuck out of him for doing me wrong, and then, go on to rule all of Russia? I say Russia…I suppose taking over the family would do, too. I threw myself around the room for a while, truly embracing that energy. And at that ball in my head, I dance with my enemy. I glare into his eyes all the while keeping a graceful and pleasant disposition. Because that’s when they let their guard down. That’s when I make my move. That’s when the ball turns bloody and I come out on top. 

Jesus Christ, Rei…Who hurt you? I know who hurt me. But I don’t have it in me to mention it out loud. Not even in my head. Fuck that.

Knock, knock.

“Rei?” Daddy’s voice thundered over the gentle orchestral movement coming to a close.

“Hi, Daddy,” I swung back and forth, shaking out the thoughts of becoming the Empress of Russia by force. Did you need me for something?”

“Someone wants to talk to you…” he treaded lightly. I didn’t like where this was going.

“And who’s that?” I really didn’t like where this was going. Please surprise me. Be one of my uncles. Be one of my friends. Fuck, if you really wanted to surprise me, be Abuelita and make everything better. But don’t fucking be…

“Me…” Him. Of course. Why should I have expected anything different?

“Yay,” I grumbled.

“Reila,” Daddy took on a more authoritative tone, “Don’t be like that. You don’t know the whole story.”

“Really?” I stayed high up, wrapped up in my ribbons, “Do tell.”

“Ritsu called me when he landed,” Daddy explained, “He asked to meet me in the Narrows, well aware he fucked up. He turned himself in, Rei. I know he cut you deep, but don’t be like this.”

He…Turned himself in? He knew what that would’ve gotten him, but he did it anyway. Holy shit, maybe I am being too hard on him…And maybe he’s being too hard on himself…I know I told him he could’ve grown a pair and told Ryoichi to fuck off, but…This really was something out of his hands, wasn’t it? As much as it went against my grain, I took in a deep breath and pulled myself together, “What do you want, Ritsu?”

“Can we talk?” Ritsu spoke softly. He still knows he fucked up. But…That could also be the guilt talking.

I know I needed to ease up on him. Yet something in me wouldn’t allow it. Not yet. He flat out kept another woman from me. That’s not ok. But maybe it’s time I stop holding this against him, “On one condition.”

“Anything.” And he’s looking for atonement. Damn, maybe I should’ve gone to church this morning.

“Hold on,” I spun down from the silks, “If we talk, we’re talking while you’re upside down.”

“What?” Ritsu squeaked, “No. Rei, we’ve been over that.”

“And that was before you pissed me off,” I argued, “If you really want to talk, we need the blood flow going to the right head.”

“Oh, I have to see this,” Daddy pulled up a chair.

“Frankie!” Ritsu whined, “Can’t you do something about this?”

“You made your bed, kid,” Daddy pointed out, getting his phone from his pocket to, undoubtedly, open the camera, “We had this conversation last night. You knew Rei was going to be pissed. You said you were good with any punishment she’d throw at you. And you knew damn well the little shit’s a sadist.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” I took my due bow.

“This just happens to be part of it,” Daddy shot me a quick wink.

I could see it in his eyes. Ritsu was calling me every name in the book in his head. Or further beating himself up. One of the two. Unless it’s an unhealthy mixture of both. That wouldn’t surprise me either, “How do I do it, Rei?”

“First,” I took my fabrics and got them started for him, “We tie a sturdy knot. One strong enough to support your weight. Personally, I only tie them once, but considering you have more muscle density than I do, I’d tie them twice. Just for the added security. We really don’t need Clara coming back for house calls and we sure as hell don’t need to be taking you to the hospital.”

“That’s comforting,” he grumbled to himself, taking the knotted fabric from me, “Now what?”

“Lay back on the knot,” I instructed him, slowly guiding him back, “And lay back all the way. Once you’re upside down, wrap your legs inward one at a time and you’ll be able to let go.”

“Let go?” Ritsu gasped, “Yeah, no. Fuck that. I’m not letting go.”

“Ritsu,” I rolled my eyes, “Do you trust me?”

“Can I?” he hoped.

“Of course,” I swore, “I know it’s scary at first, but it’s alright. I won’t let you fall. Promise.”

“Ok,” Ritsu went all the way back and wrapped his legs up in the fabric. I could see it all over his face. This scared the shit out of him. Yet he did it for the plain and simple fact that I asked him to. And that’s all he needed. Yep. Deep down, that’s still _my_ Ritsu. I’m sorry for putting you through all this, but we need to know that this isn’t going to happen again. Because god forbid we start at square one again, “Rei, this is weird. This feels really weird.”

“That’s blood rushing to your head,” I steadied him, “It’s going to make you a little dizzy at first, but you’ll get over it. Now, what did you want?”

“I wanted to know if we could hang out today,” Ritsu asked, his cheeks turning pink, “Please?”

“I don’t know,” I took him by the hand and started gently turning him.

“Rei, what the fuck are you doing?!”

“I told you,” I settled him, “Trust me. You’ll be fine.”

“Hey, Rei,” Daddy ordered, “Hold him still for a second.”

“For what?!” Ritsu squealed.

“Posterity,” Daddy started snapping pictures.

“Send those to me,” I giggled a bit. Turns out I’m not the only one with sadistic tendencies here.

“You know, Rei…” Ritsu’s face started going from that adorable pink to a tad green, “I know you have your moments where the petty bitch needs to come out…But…”

“I know,” I slid down into a split on the floor and got on his level, “You said you wanted us to hang out today, right?”

“Yes, please…” Alright, I needed to get this boy down before he starts throwing up. 

“Give me a few minutes,” I told him, helping him get back upright, “Ok?”

“Ok,” Ritsu regained his sense of equilibrium, “Hey, Rei, where’s the nearest bathroom? Or potted plant? At this point, I don’t care which.”

“A little nauseous, Ritsu?” Daddy assumed.

“I don’t do silks,” Ritsu gagged, “Bathroom?”

“Across the hall, baby,” I directed him.

“Bless you,” Ritsu bolted out of the ballroom, leaving Daddy and me alone to deliberate his fate.

“Well?” I wondered, taking a seat on Daddy’s lap, “Qué estás pensando, Papí? Debería hacerlo?”

“Creo que sí,” Daddy nodded, “He’s done enough, Rei. There’s justice and then, there’s overkill. You, mi querida hija, are teetering that line.”

“You think so?”

“Rei, your boyfriend is puking in our bathroom because you made him hang upside down in order to get a conversation with you. If that’s not overkill, I don’t know what is.”

“You’re right,” I agreed, resting my head on his shoulder.

“But,” Daddy assured me, “If you need them, you know you got warehouse keys, too.”

“I know,” I let that go, “But I don’t think we’ll need the warehouse today. Unless you put me to work. But I think we’ll leave the warehouse alone for today. If it’s ok with you, though, I want to go play with my favorite piñata.”

“Go ahead, sweetheart,” he kissed my cheek, “What are you two doing?”

Let’s see…What could I possibly want to do with my boyfriend with his two left feet and inability to be upside down for longer than a couple minutes? But it’s still lighthearted fun, “I think we’ll go ice skating.”

“Ok,” Daddy sent me off, “You kids have fun. Be careful.”

“We will.”


End file.
